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OF 

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OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


THE    STUBBORNNESS    OF 
GERALDINE 


The  Stubbornness 
of  Geraldine 

A    PLAY   IN   FOUR    ACTS 


By 
CLYDE     FITCH 


THE    MACMILLAN    COMPANY 
NEW  YORK         MCM7I 

LONDON:    MACMILLAN     &    CO.,     LTD. 


COPYRIGHT,  1906, 
BY  THE  MACMILLAN   COMPANY. 

ALL  RIGHTS   RESERVED. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  May,  1906. 


All  acting  rights,  both  professional  and  amateur,  are  reserved  by  Clyde 
Fitch.  Performances  forbidden  and  right  of  representation  reserved. 
Application  for  the  right  of  performing  this  piece  must  be  made  to  The 
Macmillan  Company.  Any  piracy  or  infringement  will  be  prosecuted 
in  accordance  with  the  penalties  provided  by  the  United  States  Stat- 
utes: — 

"SEC.  4966. — Any  person  publicly  performing  or  representing  any 
dramatic  or  musical  composition,  for  which  copyright  has  been  obtained, 
without  the  consent  of  the  proprietor  of  the  said  dramatic  or  musical 
composition,  or  his  heirs  or  assigns,  shall  be  liable  for  damages  therefor, 
such  damages  in  all  cases  to  be  assessed  at  such  sum,  not  less  than  one 
hundred  dollars  for  the  first  and  fifty  dollars  for  every  subsequent  per- 
formance, as  to  the  Court  shall  appear  to  be  just.  If  the  unlawful  per- 
formance and  representation  be  wilful  and  for  profit,  such  person  or 
persons  shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction  be  im- 
prisoned for  a  period  not  exceeding  one  year."  —  U.  S.  REVISED 
STATUTES,  Title  60,  Chap.  3. 


NoruJooO  ftrtSB 

J.  S.  Cashing  &  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


TS 


TO 

E.    S. 

"THE  ONLY  WAY  TO  HAVE 
A  FRIEND  IS  TO  BE  ONE1' 

—  EMERSON 
FOR  MANY  YEARS  YOU   HAVE  BEEN  THE  BEST 


757169 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE 


ACT  I.    GERALDINE,  TWO  DAYS  FROM  THE  END  OF  HER 

VOYAGE  HOME,  FINDS  LIFE   SUDDENLY  TAKING 
ON  A  NEW   INTEREST. 

ACT  II.    GERALDINE,  IN  THE  VERY  HOUR  OF  HER  ARRIVAL, 

STUMBLES  ON  THE  OLD  ADAGE,  "THE  COURSE 
OF  TRUE   LOVE  NEVER   DID   RUN   SMOOTH." 

ACT  III.    GERALDINE  MEETS  ONE  OF  THE  BITTER  EPISODES 

OF    LIFE   WITH    THE    DETERMINATION    TO    LET 
NO   ONE   SOLVE   HER   PROBLEM   FOR   HER. 

ACT  IV.    THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE. 


"  No  woman  can  pretend  she  loves  a  man,  unless  she  has 
faith  in  him,  and  the  only  one  able  to  destroy  that  faith 
should  be  the  man  she  loves."  —  ACT  III. 


vii 


CHARACTERS 


GERALDINE  LANG. 

Vi  TOMPSON. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON. 

FRAULEIN  HANDT. 

MRS.  JARS. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON. 

MRS.  DREED. 

FIRST  LADY  PASSENGER  —  MRS.  WHIFFLE. 

SECOND  LADY  PASSENGER  —  Miss  PINEY. 

THIRD  LADY  PASSENGER  —  Miss  LANSING. 

STEWARDESS. 

ANOTHER  LADY  PASSENGER. 

COUNT  CARLOS  KINSEY. 

MR.  WRIGHTON. 

LORD  TILBURY. 

MR.  CRAGER. 

JARS. 

STEWARD. 

THORNTON. 

MAN  PASSENGER. 

EXPRESSMAN. 

THE  SHIP'S  DOCTOR. 

OTHER  GUESTS  AND  PASSENGERS. 


Originally  produced  at  the  Hyperion  Theatre, 
New  Haven,  and  on  November  3, 1902,  at  the  Gar- 
rick  Theatre,  New  York,  with  the  following  cast :  — 

Geraldine  Lang Mary  Mannering 

Vi  Tompson Amy  Ricard 

Mrs.  Wrighton Mrs.  Hone 

Fraulein  Handt Anita  Rothe 

Mrs.  Jars Rosa  Cooke 

Mrs.  Mathewson Marian  Gardiner 

Mrs.  Dreed Kathleen  Chambers 

Mrs.  Harry  K.  Whipple Dene  Woodruff 

Miss  Piney Florence  Stewart 

Molly  Lansing Florence  Breed 

Stewardess Carolyn  James 

Another  Lady  Passenger Anna  Archer 

Count  Carlos  Kinsey Arthur  Byron 

Mr.  Wrighton John  Saville 

Lord  Tilbury H.  Hassard-Short 

Mr.  Crager Albert  S.  Howson 

Jars Herbert  Ayling 

Steward Charles  Martin 

Thornton Sidney  Mansfield 

Man  Passenger Charles  Haskins 

Expressman David  Proctor 

The  Ship's  Doctor George  Elwood 


ACT  I 

The  deck  of  a  ship.  The  railing  is  at  the 
footlights,  and  beyond  it,  against  the  cabin's 
sides,  are  rows  of  steamer  chairs  facing  the 
audience.  At  Right  of  the  Centre  are  double 
doors  to  the  principal  gangway;  at  Left  of 
the  Centre  is  a  gangway  through  to  the  other 
side  of  the  ship,  where  the  audience  sees  the  rail- 
ing and  the  sea  and  sky  beyond.  Along  this 
gangway  promenaders  are  constantly  passing. 
Most  of  the  steamer  chairs  have  their  bored 
occupants  in  them,  and  scattered  about  there  is 
still  the  paraphernalia  of  a  voyage  two- 
thirds  -finished.  There  are  half-empty  lemonade 
glasses  perilously  placed  beside  chairs,  remnants 
of  once  white  grapes,  like  tawdry  boarding- 
house  keepers  who  have  seen  better  days,  on 


2       THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

white  plates  tucked  into  out-of-the-way  corners. 
A  conversational  child  is  conspicuous.  It 
is  late  afternoon. 

There  is  a  few  moments'  silence;  then  a  MAN 
PASSENGER,  reading,  turns  a  page.  The  CHILD 
drops  her  doll  and  picks  it  up.  A  MAN,  on  his 
way  around  the  ship,  walks  rapidly  from  Right 
to  Left  in  a  businesslike  manner  of  taking  exer- 
cise. After  him  Two  GIRLS,  arm  in  arm,  walk 
more  slowly,  talking,  and  disappear  at  Right. 

WOMAN  PASSENGER.   [Querulously.}  Steward! 
STEWARD.   [Off  stage,  Right.]   Coming,  madam ! 

[He  enters. 

MAN  PASSENGER.   Steward! 
STEWARD.   [Hesitates  at  centre.]  Yes,  sir! 
WOMAN  PASSENGER.   Steward  1 1 
STEWARD.   Yes,  madam. 
[Going  to  the  WOMAN  and  tucking  in  her  shawl. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE   3 

WOMAN   PASSENGER.   I  want  some    lemonade, 
steward ! 

STEWARD.   [Going  toward  Right.]  Yes,  miss. 
WOMAN   PASSENGER.   [Calls   after   him.]  With 
ice,  plenty  of  ice,  steward! 
STEWARD.   Yes,  miss. 

[Going. 

MAN  PASSENGER.   Steward ! 
STEWARD.   [Stopping  near  him.]  Yes,  sir. 
MAN   PASSENGER.    Can    you    tell    me  if   this 
damned  boat  is  ever  going  to  get  across? 

STEWARD.  Yes,  sir,  we  ought  to  land  in  another 
day,  sir. 

[MAN  PASSENGER  grunts. 

[STEWARD  goes  out  at  Right. 

[The  MAN  again  walks  rapidly  by  from  Right  to 

Left  on  his  fourteenth  lap  and  passes  out  of  sight. 

FRAULEIN.   [.4  thin,  sweet-faced  German  woman, 


4       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD  IN E 

wearing  glasses,  and  inappropriately  dressed  for  a 
voyage.]  A  loafly  day,  not?  Yust  ass  glass,  only 
for  de  pig  swells  dat  come  efery  leetle  once.  Here 
comes  one  now ! 

THE  LADY  WITH  THE  CHILD.  Take  care,  Rosalie ! 
[The  STEWARD  at  the  same  time  comes  out  of 
door  with  lemonade,  and  the  ship  rolls  heavily 
forward,  then  back.     Each  motion  is  accom- 
panied by  loud  screams,  shouts,  and  laughter, 
and   a   great   clatter   of   crockery   and   glass. 
Oranges    and    empty   glasses    and  cups   roll 
down  to  the  footlights,  and  some  of  the  passen- 
gers are  almost  thrown  off  their  chairs.     The 
STEWARD  is  obliged  to  hang  on  to  the  doorway. 
When  the  lurch  is  over,  a  great  sigh  of  relief 
goes  up  from  those  on  the  deck. 
MAN  PASSENGER.   Steward!    Is  that  going  to 
happen  again? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE       5 

STEWARD.   I  don't  know,  sir. 

[The  STEWARD  goes  to  the  WOMAN  PASSENGER. 

FRAULEIN.  [To  anybody,  laughing.]  Dat  vas 
ein  corker! 

STEWARD.   Lemonade,  madam. 

WOMAN  PASSENGER.  Thanks.  [The  STEWARD 
tucks  up  her  shawl  and  makes  her  more  com- 
fortable.] I'd  like  some  prunes  for  my  dinner, 
steward. 

STEWARD.    [Starting  to  go.]  Very  good,  madam. 

WOMAN  PASSENGER.   Steward! 

STEWARD.   [Stopping.]  Yes,  madam. 

WOMAN  PASSENGER.   When  will  we  get  in? 

STEWARD.    Couldn't  say,  madam. 

WOMAN  PASSENGER.  Well,  I  wish  you'd  go  to 
the  captain  of  this  boat  and  say  that  Mrs.  Harry 
K.  Whipple,  of  Salem,  Mass.,  would  like  to  know 
just  when  we  do  get  there! 


6       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

STEWARD.   Yes,  madam. 

[Going  toward  Right,  stops  to  tuck  in  a  passenger. 
[The  MAN,  the  amateur  pedestrian,  walks  rapidly 
by  from  Right  to  Left  again.  The  Two  GIRLS 
pass  him  and  join  the  FRAULEIN.  One  of 
these  is  Vi  TOMPSON,  a  breezy,  natural,  whole- 
souled,  perfectly  untrammelled  girl  of  the  soil  — 
a  western  Eve.  Her  companion  is  a  more 
colourless  young  person,  the  sort  of  girl  that 
would  be  content  to  rest  in  the  contrasted  shade 
of  Vi's  vivacious  spirits. 

Vi.  It  would  be  a  perfect  day,  wouldn't  it,  if  it 
weren't  for  these  awful  swells  every  little  while  — 
they  make  you  feel  just  like  express  elevators, 
don't  they  ? 

FRAULEIN.   Vere  iss  Mees  Geraldine? 
Vi.    Oh,  she's  all  right!     She's  playing  thing- 
um-bob  —  you  know  that  game — in  the  bow  with 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE       7 

the  English  Lord.  My  dear!  It's  such  a  case/ 
I  think  you're  the  sweetest  chaperon,  or  com- 
panion, or  whatever  you  are,  that  ever  was! 
Really,  I  do! 

FRAULEIN.  Oh,  Mees  Geraldine  iss  quite  safe. 
She  nefer  need  no  chaperong! 

Vi.  Well,  I  only  wish  mamma  was  like  you! 
I  tell  you  it's  lucky  for  me  she's  so  seasick,  or  I 
shouldn't  be  having  any  fun  with  the  Doctor  at 
all!  [This  latter  added  in  a  more  confidential 
manner  and  amusedly.]  ISN'T  he  handsome! 
Oh,  my !  And  when  we  walk,  you  know,  he  goes 
so  fast  I  have  to  take  his  arm  to  keep  up  with 
him!  —  have  toff!  [Laughs.]  Well!  I  think  he's 
perfectly  lovely — that's  all!  Perfectly/ 

FRAULEIN.  And  where  iss  your  fader  —  that 
he  haf  not  see  — 

[Interrupted. 


8       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

Vi.  Oh,  popper  never  sees  anything,  even  on 
shore,  except  figures  and  numbers.  And  on  board 
he  lies  in  the  smoking  room  all  day.  He's  made  all 
our  fees  at  poker,  and  won  three  pools  besides ! 
Popper's  awfully  clever ! 

[The  MAN  walks  by  again  from  Right  to  Left, 

and  Vi's  friend  pulls  her  arm  to  notice  him. 
Vi.    [Looks  at  him,  and  then  turns  to  FRAULEIN.] 
/  don't  think  he's  so  good-looking,  do  you?     Jess 
is  crazy  about  him.    But  of  course  I'm  colour  blind, 
anyway;  all  I  can  see  just  now  is  brass  buttons! 
HE'S  going  to  give  me  one  for  a  hat-pin !     Really  I 
[They  start  to  walk  again,  and  she  calls  back  over 
her  shoulder.]     Won't  that  be  perfectly  lovely/ 
[A  STEWARDESS,  carrying  a  hot-water  bag,  fol- 
lowed by  a  STEWARD,  lead  out  from  the  double 
doorway  the  figure  of  a  pale  woman,  pretty  well 
enveloped  in  wraps  of  an  indiscriminate  sort. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE      g 

They  place  her   carefully  in  an   empty  chair 
Left  of  FRAULEIN. 

Vi.  [Stopping.]  Oh,  here's  Miss  Piney!  I'm 
so  glad  you're  feeling  better. 

STEWARDESS.  Oh,  yes,  she'll  be  hall  right  now 
she's  hup  and  hout  in  the  hair! 

Vi.   Yes,  indeed!    And  it's  a  beautiful  day! 

[Miss  PINEY  rolls  her  eyes,  as  much  as  to  say 
at  present  there  can  be  no  beauty  in  any  day 
for  her. 

FRAULEIN.  Unt  de  sea  yust  like  a  mill  pond 
—  parfecdly  smoot  except  yust  every  leetle 
once! 

Vi.  You  look  splendidly,  Miss  Piney,  not  at 
all  ill ! 

[Miss  PINEY  is  safe  in  her  chair  by  now,  and 
well  wrapped,  from  her  feet  with  overshoes, 


10  THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE 

to  her  head  in  its  baby -Hue  crocheted  arrange- 
ment. The  hot-water  bag  is  at  her  feet.  She 
gives  a  long  sigh,  and  lies  quite  still  with  her 
eyes  shut. 

[The  STEWARDESS  goes  back,  downstairs. 
STEWARD.   [To    Vi.]  Excuse    me,    miss,    your 
mother  asked  me  to  tell  you  she  wanted  to  see 
you. 

[He  follows  the  STEWARDESS. 
Vi.  Oh,  pshaw !  Mamma's  too  boring !  She's 
always  sending  for  me  to  ask  if  I've  found  out 
when  we  land,  or  if  popper's  drinking  too  much. 
And  how  can  I  tell?  [To  FRAULEIN.]  Say,  if 
the  Doctor  should  come  by  here  alone,  won't  you 
grab  him,  please,  and  try  to  keep  him  till  I  come 
back  ?  I  just  hate  to  leave  the  deck  for  five  minutes 
—  because,  of  course,  every  other  girl  on  this  boat, 
not  to  mention  the  five  widows,  crape  and  grass, 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     \\ 

are  all  dying  to  get  him  away  from  me !  But  I'm 
not  afraid  of  you !  —  You  know  what  I  mean ! 

[And  with  her  arm  about  her  friend,  she  goes 
out  through  the  double  doors. 

FRAULEIN.  [To  Miss  PINEY.]  I  hope  dat  yer 
vas  feeling  much  better  as  already ! 

[Miss  PINEY  opens  her  eyes  to  give  FRAULEIN 
one  miserable  and  speechless  glance,  and  then 
doses  them  again. 

[The  MAN  walks  on  from  Right,  but  as  the 
ship  sways  far  forward,  stops,  with  his  legs 
wide  apart  to  steady  himself.  Again  there  are 
cries  and  laughter,  the  noise  of  crockery  and 
glass  colliding;  several  people  slide  from  their 
chairs.  Down  the  passageway  Left,  half 
run,  half  fall  LORD  TILBURY  and  GERALDINE. 

[GERALDINE  is  a  very  handsome  girl,  with  the 
love  of  life  in  her  face  and  speech  and  manner; 


12     THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE 

like  Vi,  she  is  whole-souled  and,  unaffected,  but 
she  is  more  cultivated  than  Vi,  more  emotional, 
and  with  a  more  tender  sense  of  humour. 

[TILBURY  is  a  -very  good-looking,  -very  smart- 
looking  young  Englishman,  a  "good  sort," 
who  needs,  however,  more  experience  and  more 
years  than  the  average  man  to  get  him  out  of 
his  salad  days. 

GERALDINE.   [Cries  out.]  Lord  Tilbury! 

[She  dutches  him  to  save  herself  from  jailing. 
He  falls,  but  she  remains  standing,  and  all 
brace  themselves  for  the  return  roll  of  the 
ship.  This  being  duly  accomplished,  the 
travellers  settle  down  again.  The  STEWARDS 
run  hither  and  thither,  and  GERALDINE  helps 
LORD  TILBURY  to  rise. 

TILBURY.  Thanks  awfully.  So  glad  it  wasn't 
you! 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     13 

GERALDINE.  [Laughing.]  So  am  I ! 
[Miss  PINEY  slowly  rises,  feebly,  and  with  diffi- 
cidty  extricates  herself  from  her  belongings. 
GERALDINE  and  TILBURY  hurry  to  assist  her 
to  the  doorway,  where  the  STEWARDESS  takes 
her  and  she  retires. 

GERALDINE.  Miss  Piney's  even  a  worse  sailor 
than  you,  Lord  Tilbury. 

TILBURY.   But  really  —  I  haven't  been  seasick. 
Really !    Really !    It  was  only  a  cold  with  dizziness. 
GERALDINE.   [Laughs    pleasantly    at    him.]    I 
know  that  cold!    And  Miss  Piney,  she  has  heart 
weakness,  that's  all  —  she's  not  seasick.      O  dear, 
no !    Only  heart  weakness ! 
TILBURY.  And  what  is  your  pet  illness? 
GERALDINE.  I  love  the  sea,  and  never  am  ill  on  it. 
TILBURY.  And  on  the  land? 
GERALDINE.  I  never  am  ill  on  the  land,  either ! 


14     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.   Really !  what  a  beastly  healthy  person ! 

GERALDINE.  Oh,  do  hit  some  wood  quick  or 
my  luck  may  change.  [She  stamps  on  the  deck 
•with  her  right  heel.  He  follows  her  action.} 
Thank  you !  I  think  I'll  sit  down.  [Sitting  on  the 
arm  0}  FRAULEIN'S  chair.]  Do  you  know  my  friend, 
Fraulein  Handt? 

[She  introduces  them. 

FRAULEIN.  I  'ave  knowed  your  fader  at  sight, 
Lord  Tilbury.  I  vas  one  time  governess  in  de 
Austro-Hungary  Embassy,  unt  he  vas  often  to  de 
house. 

TILBURY.  Really!  7  don't  know  my  father 
very  well ! 

FRAULEIN.  Ah,  but  dat  vas  ven  you  vas  at 
school. 

[She  settles  back  in  her  chair  to  let  them  talk 
together  without  her. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     15 

GERALDINE.  Are  you  coming  down  to  dinner, 
Fraulein  ? 

FRAULEIN.   I  tink  not,  I  go  sleeping  now. 

[Closes  her  eyes. 

GERALDINE.  [Amused,  aside  to  TILBURY.]  The 
dear  creature  thinks  that's  tact! 

[Both  laugh  gently. 

TILBURY.  She's  an  awfully  good  sort,  isn't  she  ? 
How  long  have  you  been  abroad,  Miss  Lang? 

GERALDINE.   One  hundred  years ! 

TILBURY.   Really!! 

GERALDINE.  Well,  it  seems  that !  Ever  since  I 
can  remember ;  I  came  over  here  at  the  age  of  five ! 

TILBURY.     Really ! 

GERALDINE.  I  haven't  a  relative  in  the  world, 
but  I've  some  property  in  New  York,  and  that  is  my 
home,  and  I'm  happy  to  say  at  last  I'm  going  back ! 

TILBURY.   Really! 


16     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  [Laughingly.]  If  you  say  "really" 
again,  I  think  I  shall  die!! 

TILBURY.  I  beg  your  pardon  — 

[Interrupted. 

GERALDINE.  I'm  sure  it  must  sound  very  strange 
to  you,  but  it's  really  very  simple !  At  the  age  of 
four  I  was  left  to  my  last  relative,  an  uncle,  a  — 
I  have  gathered  and  imagined  and  intuitived  — 
rather  gay  person,  who  wouldn't  accept  a  little 
girl  niece  as  a  gift ! 

TILBURY.  You  might  be  in  the  way,  I  sup- 
pose ! 

GERALDINE.  Exactly!  Who  says  Englishmen 
are  dense ! !  So  he  railroaded  me  off  to  Stuttgart — 
of  all  dull  places ! — with  a  dear  old  German  lady, 
the  aunt  of  Fraulein.  Didn't  he,  Fraulein? 

FRAULEIN.  Yah! 

GERALDINE.   [4 mused,  to  TILBURY.]  Not  asleep 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     17 

yet!  Well,  when  she  followed  all  my  other  rela- 
tives, except  Uncle  Ray,  she  left  me  in  charge  of 
my  friend  here,  who  is  the  dearest  thing  in  the 
world  —  aren't  you,  Fraulein  ?  [FRAULEIN  snores.] 
She's  only  pretending!  She's  too  modest  to 
answer  that  question.  [FRAULEIN  giggles.]  I 
told  you !  [They  stroll  down  to  the  rail  and  lean 
on  it,  looking  over.]  Well  —  now  my  uncle  died 
last  month,  and  he's  left  me  a  big  fortune  and  a 
magnificent  new  house. 

TILBURY.   He  left  you  everything?! 

GERALDINE.   Everything ! ! 

TILBURY.   He  never  married,  then? 

GERALDINE.  No;  they  say  he  never  could  decide 
on  which! 

TILBURY.  Isn't  there  any  one  there  you 
know? 

GERALDINE.  Yes,    the    old    housekeeper,    and 


i8     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

her  husband,  who  is  butler.  I  have  childish 
memories  about  them  both.  Mrs.  Jars  was  a 
dear,  fat,  jolly  woman,  with  a  pocket  never  empty 
of  sweets  —  Oh,  7  loved  her ! 

TILBURY.  Are  you  glad  to  be  going  back  to 
America  ? 

GERALDINE.  Glad!?!  Glad  11  Surely  an  Eng- 
lishman knows  what  love  of  one's  country  means !  — 
how  it's  born  in  one,  and  nothing  ever  gets  it  out ! 
Let  me  tell  you  something !  The  day  I  sailed,  a 
pale,  small,  timid  girl,  this  same  uncle  gave  me,  to 
wave  from  the  boat,  a  little  stars  and  stripes; 
Uncle  Ray  DID  love  his  country  —  as  well  as  a  few 
other  things !  Perhaps  you'll  think  it  silly  of  me, 
but  from  that  day  to  this  I've  never  let  go  that  lit- 
tle flag.  I've  travelled  all  over  Europe,  but  never 
went  to  sleep  one  night  without  it  under  my  pil- 
low at  first,  and  afterward  in  a  little  sort  of  amulet 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     19 

about  my  neck  [Taking  hold  of  a  chain  she  wears.], 
when  it  threatened  to  become  rags!  Glad  to  go 
back  to  America  ?  It's  what  I've  been  dreaming 
of,  longing  for,  waiting  for  on  tiptoe  since  the 
very  hour  I  left  fourteen  years  ago!  Glad/!! 
I  don't  pretend  to  explain;  I  can  only  tell  you  that 
even  to  speak  of  going  back  fills  me  with  an  emotion 
I  don't  understand.  I  feel  it  here !  [Her  hand  over 
her  bosom.]  And  here!  [At  her  throat.]  It's  — 
why  —  it's  home,  you  know,  that's  all ! 

TILBURY.  I  know  what  you  mean.  I  felt  it  in 
South  Africa. 

GERALDINE.  [With  quick  interest  and  sympathy.] 
Were  you  in  many  battles  there? 

TILBURY.   No,  but  I  was  in  all  the  hospitals ! 

GERALDINE.  [She  laughs.]  Let's  walk.  [To 
FRAULEIN.]  We're  going  to  walk  up  and  down  a 
little,  just  here  in  front  of  you. 


20     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

FRAULEIN.  [Without  opening  her  eyes.]  Oh! 
I  vas  not  afraid  ven  you  vill  be  lost!  But  don't 
forget  dat  a  long  time  de  first  horn  for  tinner  have 
tooted ! 

GERALDINE.  [As  they  begin  to  walk.]  Now  I've 
told  you  the  story  of  my  life.  Tell  me  yours! 
Is  this  your  first  visit  to  America? 

TILBURY.  Yes,  I've  been  to  Ireland  and  Paris, 
besides  South  Africa,  but  of  course  New  York  is 
different. 

GERALDINE.   But  New  York  isn't  America/ 

TILBURY.  No,  I  suppose  not  —  there's  Chicago, 
isn't  there,  and  Washington  —  [Stops  walking.]  — 
only  I  hear  that's  very  cosmopolitan, — and  there 
used  to  be  a  Boston,  didn't  there? 

GERALDINE.   Horrors!! 

TILBURY.  Across  a  bridge? 

GERALDINE.   [With  relief.]   Oh!  you're  mixed; 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    21 

there  used  to  be  Brooklyn,  but  now  it's  greater 
New  York ! 

[They  start  to  move  on  again  and  meet  Vi  coming 
with  the  DOCTOR  from  the  opposite  direction. 
As  they  pass,  Vi  catches  hold  of  GERALDINE'S 
arm,  holding  her  back,  and  speaks  in  her  ear, 
the  DOCTOR  standing  a  step  or  two  in  advance 
of  her,  and  TILBURY  discreetly  waiting  a  few 
steps  in  front  of  GERALDINE. 
Vi.   I  think  you're  just  too  mean  for  anything  to 
keep  a  real  live  lord  all  alone  to  yourself.    Still,  I'm 
not  mad,  because  I'VE  got  second  prize!    Don't 
you  think  he's  perfectly  lovely  I 
GERALDINE.   [Amused.]  Who? 
Vi.   Why,  the  Doctor! 
GERALDINE.   Perfectly. 

Vi.   [Going  on  with  the  DOCTOR,  calls  back.]  I'll 
exchange ! 


22     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD INE 

GERALDINE.  [Calls  over  her  shoulder.]  All 
right ! 

TILBURY.  She's  a  jolly  sort  of  girl.  Where  does 
she  come  from? 

GERALDINE.  Her  home  is  in  Butte  City,  Mon- 
tana. 

TILBURY.   Really! 

GERALDINE.  O  dear,  that  awful  word's  come 
back !  Are  you  coming  over  to  us  to  get  mar- 
ried? 

TILBURY.  No,  just  the  opposite.  [They  stop 
walking.]  So  as  not  to  get  married. 

GERALDINE.  [Opening  her  eyes  wide.]  "  Really !  " 
I'm  afraid  you're  going  to  the  wrong  place !  You 
ought  to  have  gone  to  where  I've  been  —  Stutt- 
gart !  Somebody's  SURE  to  marry  YOU  in  America! 

[They  go  on. 

TILBURY.   No;    you    see    it's    this  way.     I'm 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     23 

awfully  keen  to  marry  Rosy  Boggs.  She's  in  the 
Gaiety.  Maybe  you've  seen  her  in  the  Toreador. 
She's  the  third  from  the  end  on  the  right  all  through 
the  first  act,  and  is  the  one  that  says,  "He  didn't 
go  this  way!"  [Eagerly.]  Do  you  remember  her? 

GERALDINE.   I  don't  think  so. 

TILBURY.  Perhaps  you  remember  her  in  the 
last  act.  She's  on  the  opposite  side  in  that  act, 
and  she  substitutes  in  the  octette  when  any  one  of 
the  other  girls  are  ill.  [Stops.]  But  perhaps  you 
don't  go  every  night.  I've  only  missed  two  per- 
formances, and  one  was  a  matinee. 

GERALDINE.  No,  I  wasn't  in  London  long,  and 
I  didn't  go  to  the  Gaiety  regularly. 

TILBURY.  Well,  you'd  have  seen  she's  a  lady 
born,  only  her  parents  are  a  bit  offish;  the  father 
keeps  a  public  house,  and  Rosy  began  behind  his 
bar,  but  she  was  too  refined  and  couldn't  stand  it. 


24     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

My  governor's  so  obtuse  he  won't  see  Rosy  a  little 
bit,  and  threatens  to  cut  me  off  with  a  ha'penny  — 
isn't  it  awful ! 

GERALDINE.  If  I  loved  her,  I'd  marry  her 
anyway. 

TILBURY.   But  Rosy  won't  I 

GERALDINE.   Oh,  then,  Rosy  doesn't  love  you. 

TILBURY.  Yes,  she  does !  She's  awful  gone  on 
me,  but  she's  so  noble!  She  says  she  won't  marry 
me  unless  my  father  relents,  because  she  couldn't 
bear  to  have  me  cut  off  with  a  ha'penny,  —  don't 
you  see,  —  on  her  account? 

GERALDINE.   Oh,  yes,  I  think  I  do  see! 

[Laughing. 

[GERALDINE  sings  a  couple  of  lines  of  "Rosy, 
you  are  my  Posy." 

TILBURY.  I  say,  you're  awfully  sympathetic. 
I've  been  awful  keen  to  talk  to  somebody  about  it. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     25 

We're  all  in  hopes  I'll  forget  Rosy  over  here,  but 
I'm  afraid  I  won't. 

[Bugle  call  for  dinner,  in  the  distance. 
GERALDINE.   Just  wait!    You've  no  idea  what 
damage  American  girls  can  do  to  a  little  memory 
like  that. 

TILBURY.  You  know  you  remind  me  a  little  of 
Rosy  —  if  you  won't  mind  my  saying  it. 

GERALDINE.  Goodness  —  already !  If  I've 
shaken  your  precious  souvenir  the  least  little  bit, 
Miss  Vi  Tompson  of  Butte  City,  in  her  own 
language,  "won't  do  a  thing  to  it!  " 

[A  STEWARD  appears  and  gives  loud  bugle  call 
for  dinner.  Many  more  people  have  been 
promenading  during  the  end  of  this  scene,  and 
the  speeches  have  been  broken,  interrupted,  and 
continued,  etc.,  as  GERALDINE  and  TILBURY 
have  made  way  for  the  others  to  pass  them.  The 


26     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

sun  has  also  sunk;  there  is  the  clear  light 
without  the  yellow  of  the  sun,  leaving  only  red 
and  gold  seen  in  the  clouds  over  the  horizon. 
At  the  sound  of  the  call  all  rise  from  their  chairs 
except  WOMAN  PASSENGER  and  FRAULEIN.  A 
STEWARD  hurries  in,  and  is  busy  helping  the 
women,  while  another  with  the  menu  card  waits 
on  FRAULEIN  and  WOMAN  PASSENGER.  There 
is  a  general  crowd  walking  about  on  the  deck. 

GERALDINE.  [Casually.]  The  last  call.  I 
suppose  we  must  go  down! 

[They  move  on  and  meet  Vi.  GERALDINE,  with 
TILBURY,  pauses  and  stops  Vi. 

GERALDINE.   Miss  Tompson. 

Vi.   My  dear,  aren't  you  going  down? 

GERALDINE.  I  want  to  present  Lord  Tilbury  to 
you. 

Vi.  How  do  you  do,  Lord  Tilbury.   [TILBURY 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD INE     27 

bows.]  I  am  pleased  to  make  your  acquaintance. 
I  saw  you  the  first  day  out,  and  I  wanted  to  know 
you  then,  you  had  such  a  perfectly  lovely  suit  of 
clothes  on.  Didn't  he,  Miss  Lang !  It  was  the 
sweetest  suit  on  the  boat!  But  you  disappeared 
for  several  days,  till  this  morning ! 

TILBURY.   Yes,  I  caught  a  bad  cold. 

Vi.  [Laughs.}  Oh,  come !  It's  been  terribly 
rough !  I  don't  mind  confessing  that  /  was  awfully 
seasick.  I  wanted  to  go  straight  down  to  the  bot- 
tom, Paris  clothes  and  all !  Which  reminds  me 
of  the  killingest  story  popper  told  us  he  heard  from 
the  second  officer.  Oh,  but  I  don't  know  Lord 
Tilbury  well  enough  to  tell  him  funny  stories  yet. 

TILBURY.  I  hope  after  dinner  we  may  become 
much  better  acquainted,  and  shall  look  forward 
with  pleasure  to  the  story.  You  will  be  on  deck 
after  dinner? 


28    THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

Vi.  Oh,  yes,  I  think  it's  perfectly  lovely  on  deck 
at  night !  I  just  adore  the  stars  and  the  moon- 
light, don't  you !  It  makes  you  feel  so  happy  and 
sociable.  Oh,  I  just  think  it's  too  lovely  for  any- 
thing. Yes,  siree ! 

TILBURY.  Till  after  dinner,  then! 

[He  bows. 

Vi.   Good-by! 

GERALDINE.   Good-by! 

TILBURY.   Good-by. 

[He  goes  downstairs. 

Vi.  Oh,  my  dear,  I  think  he's  perfectly  lovely ! 
And  it  was  just  too  sweet  of  you  for  worlds  to 
introduce  him.  Most  girls  would  have  kept  him 
locked  up  in  the  ice  box. 

GERALDINE.   Come  along,  we  must  go  too. 

Vi.  [Laughingly.]  I'm  so  mad!  Mamma's 
coming  down  to  dinner  to-night.  You  know  I've 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     29 

had  the  table  alone  with  popper  and  a  whole  lot 
of  men,  and  I  do  think  men  are  so  nice,  don't  you ! 
—  and  now  mamma'll  come  down  and  cut  me 
right  out  I.  You  know  mamma's  the  sweetest  thing 
that  ever  was !  She  is  really !  But  you've  never 
seen  her,  have  you  ?  Well,  you  must  to-morrow  if 
she's  up.  See  you  later. 

[She  goes  downstairs,  through  the  double  doors. 
[STEWARD  gives  FRAULEIN  her  basket  of  food,  and 
passing  on  to  WOMAN  PASSENGER,  serves  her 
also.     Then  he  goes  out. 

[GERALDINE  goes  to  FRAULEIN. 
GERALDINE.  Fraulein ! 

FRAULEIN.  Yes,  tear,  can't  you  guess  for  vy  I 
vas  staying? 

GERALDINE.  [Delighted.]  To  see  who  it  is 
leaves  the  white  rose  every  night  during  dinner  on 
my  chair?! 


30     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

FRAULEIN.  You  vas  right! 

GERALDINE.  You  darling,  —  but  if  he  sees  you 
here,  he  won't  leave  the  rose. 

FRAULEIN.  You  know  it  iss  a  he,  den? 

GERALDINE.  I  don't  know,  but  I  hope  it  is  a  he  1 
I  have  all  sorts  of  ideas  about  it.  Nothing  half 
so  romantic  ever  happened  to  me  before  in  my 
life! 

FRAULEIN.  Veil,  ven  I  eats,  I  keep  von  sharb 
lookoud,  unt  ven  I  see  someting,  I  am  asleep,  so ! 

GERALDINE.  Good !  [Kisses  her.]  I  shall  be 
back  before  very  long.  I'm  not  hungry,  and  I 
can't  sit  through  these  awful  dinners. 

[She  goes  hurriedly  through  the  double  doors. 
FRAULEIN  eats. 

[Twilight  is  falling,  and  the  red  is  dying  out  of 
the  sky. 

WOMAN  PASSENGER.  Steward  / 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     31 

STEWARD.  [Entering  Left  with  a  basket-tray  full 
of  used  dishes.]  Yes,  madam. 

WOMAN  PASSENGER.  [Querulously.]  My  baked 
potatoes  aren't  baked  and  my  beefsteak  is  a  mutton 
chop. 

STEWARD.   Very  sorry,  madam.     Shall  I  — 
WOMAN  PASSENGER.  No,  no  matter,  I'll  eat  it, 
but  it's  stone  cold.    I  shall  never  cross  on  this 
line  again!    I  never  saw  such  food.   [STEWARD 
starts  to  go,  but  stops  as   she  speaks.]    Steward! 
Bring  me  some  champagne  with  ice,  plenty  of  ice. 
STEWARD.  Yes,  madam. 

[He  goes  through  the  double  doors. 
[As  he  goes,  COUNT  CARLOS  KINSEY  appears 
from  Right  and  comes  toward  GERALDINE'S 
empty  chair;  when  he  gets  near  enough  to  see 
FRAULEIN,  he  starts  and  stops.  But  FRAULEIN 
has  heard  him  coming  and  seems  to  be  asleep, 


32     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

with  her  head,  turned  away.    KINSEY  comes 

carefully  along  and    lays    a    white    rose    in 

GERALDINE'S  chair.  At  this  moment  FRAULEIN 

pretends  to  wake  up  with  a  start,  crying,  "Oh!" 

KINSEY.   [Also  starts  and  bows  low.]  I  beg  a 

pardon. 

FRAULEIN.  Vith  pleasure!  [She  looks  in  the 
chair  and  sees  the  rose.]  Excuse  me,  I  tink  you  drop 
someting  ? 

KINSEY.  No,  I  look  at  ze  rose  which  have 
blossomed  where  ze  young  lady  vas! 

FRAULEIN.  Aber !    Mein    Gott,    it    iss    Count 
Kinsey !    [Rising.] 
KINSEY.  Sh!    Please. 

[Two  GIRLS  pass  by,  talking. 
KINSEY.   Zat  is  true,  I  vas  Count  Carlos  Kinsey. 
[With  another  bow.]  You  please  sit  down?    But 
how  you  know  ME  !    I  nefer  haf  see  you ! 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     33 

FRAULEIN.  [Sitting  on  side  of  chair.]  I  vas  de 
governess  a  liddle  vile  in  your  ungle's  family  ven 
he  vas  ambassador  at  London,  and  I  'ave  you  seen 
dere,  ven  you  vas  for  a  leedle  while  secretary. 

KINSEY.  Yess,  mine  older  broder  Adolph's 
place  I  have  take.  My  broder,  Count  Kinsey,  he 
leaf  London,  but  I  not  happy  there  and  I  just 
six  months  have  stayed. 

FRAULEIN.  Yes,  dat  vas  ven  I  vas  dere,  and  ven 
your  ungle  have  vent  to  Paris,  I  have  been  now  de 
companion  to  de  young  lady  of  de  white  roses. 

KINSEY.  All  dat  iss  very  well!  If  you  have 
lived  wiz  mine  uncle,  you  vill  do  his  nephew  a  one 
great  favour,  not? 

FRAULEIN.  Yah.  [She  adds  in  German.]  Let 
us  speak  German,  it  will  be  so  much  easier  for  us 
both. 

KINSEY.  Nein,  it  besser  iss  we  talk  English  for 
D 


34     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

ze  practice,  vill  you  not  for  me  ?  Fraulein,  pleaze, 
gif  to  me  your  promise,  your  —  I  tink  ze  word  — 
sacred  honour  zat  you  vill  not  tell  Meess  Lang ! 

FRAULEIN.  You  know  Meess  Geraldine's  name  ? 

KINSEY.  Yess!    I  ask  for  eet  ze  first  time  vat 
I  hafe  see  her  in  Budapesth. 

FRAULEIN.   Oh,   dat  vill  pleaze  her  romantic 
heart ! 

KINSEY.   Gif  to  me  your  sacred  promise  you  vill 
not  tell  to  her  mine  name,  or  who  I  are ! 

FRAULEIN.  Vy? 

KINSEY.  It  can  no  harm  do.    Vill  you  promise 
—  not? 

FRAULEIN.   Yah  —  but  vy? 

KINSEY.   [Very  simply.]  I  loaf  her! 

[A  second's  pause. 

FRAULEIN.   Oh!    Dat  is  peautiful!     But  den, 
vy  don't  you  vant  to  know  her? 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     35 

KINSEY.  I  am  one  crazy  man  to  know  her,  and 
you  vill  me  present  her,  not?  By  anozer  name! 
Mistair  Carlman. 

FRAULEIN.  I  understand  nuttings !  — 

KINSEY.  I  vas  forefer  now  to  be  only  Mistair 
Carlman.  I  hafe  no  money.  I  hafe  came  over 
here  in  ze  second  class  so  zat  I  vas  on  ze  same  boat 
wiz  her,  —  and  in  America  I  find  me  work,  and 
become  an  American  working  gentleman,  not? 
I  play  ze  violin,  I  make  very  quick  ze  figures.  I 
paints  a  leetle  and  I  dances  very  much !  Oh,  in 
America  I  very  soon  get  me  rich !  Beside,  I  vas 
not  of  work  afraid.  I  vill  do  anyzing  that  will  gif 
me  enough  much  money  to  beg  Mees  Lang  dat  she 
vill  be  mine  vife,  not  becauze  I  vas  one  count,  but 
becauze  she  loaf  me !  But  she  iss  very  rich,  not  ? 

[He  sighs. 

FRAULEIN.  Ach !    Awful  rich ! 


36     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.  Ah !  You  see ! !  Zey  must  not  tink 
me  a  poor  count  —  I  tink  ze  word  —  hunting  ? 
a  rich  American  meess,  so  for  zat  I  must  mine 
name  change.  And  mine  family,  they  vould  not 
listen  zat  I  vas  came  over  here  to  WORK  at  anyzing. 
They  would  tink  I  was  crazy  gone  and  lock  me  up, 
so  for  zat  also  I  must  change  mine  name ! 

FRAULEIN.  Och,  Himmel !  Yah !  I  see  now, 
dat  iss  besser. 

KINSEY.  Oh,  yess !  it  ees !  because  I  vill  not  ask 
her  before  as  I  'ave  ze  money  to  —  how  you  say 
it?  —  "make  all  ze  bills?" 

FRAULEIN.  [Laughing.]  Veil !  dat  vas  vat  SOME 
HUSBANDS  do,  but  I  tink  YOU  vould  mean  PAY  all 
de  bills! 

KINSEY.  Yess!  I  vill  nefer  life  by  mine  vife's 
money.  To  ask  of  her  to  do  zat  vould  insult 
me.  —  No !  Nefer !  I  vait !  — 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     37 

FRAULEIN.   You  vas  right,  for  eferybody  vould 
believe  you  vas  after  her  fortune. 

[Two   COUPLES,  and,  a,  MAN  alone,  smoking, 

pass  by. 

KINSEY.  And  yet,  perhaps,  after  all,  she  will 
loaf  some  one  else  !  —  not  ? 
FRAULEIN.   She  has  keep  all  your  roses. 
KINSEY.   But  it  ees  perhaps  so  long  before  I 
can  tell  her  I  loaf  her — before  that  I  hafe  ze 
money  also  to  gife  her ! 

[PEOPLE  begin  to  crowd  the  deck,  men  striking 
matches  for  their  cigars  and  cigarettes.  The 
sky  is  dark  blue  and  stars  come  out.  It  is  dark, 
and  electric  lights  are  turned  on,  two  or  three 
on  the  ceiling  of  the  deck,  one  over  the  FRAULEIN. 
Half  of  the  crowd  walks,  laughing  and  talking, 
with  the  MEN  smoking. 
Vi.  [Comes  along  on  her  friend's  arm  and  stops 


38     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

by  FRAULEIN.]  Fraulein,  there's  a  lovely  ship 
awfully  close  on  the  other  side,  you  ought  to 
see  it. 

[The  cry  of  a  ship  on  the  other  side  is  passed 
along  the  crowd,  and  they  all  go  through  the 
passageway  or  disappear  at  each  end. 
Some  of  them  can  be  seen  through  the 
passageway  leaning  over  the  far  rail. 

[The  moon  slowly  rises. 

[TILBURY  has  come  out  and  goes  to  FRAU- 
LEIN. 

KINSEY.   [As  he  sees  TILBURY  approach.]   You 
vill  not  tell  her?  —  yes? 
FRAULEIN.   I  svear  it,  no! 
TILBURY.  You   don't   want   to   see   the   ship, 
Fraulein  Handt? 

FRAULEIN.   No,  I  vant  only  to  see  de  landt,  and 
I  tink  I  must  go  now  unt  find  Miss  Geraldine. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE     39 

You  vill  excuse  me,  Lord  Tilbury, —  you  know 
Herr  — 

[She  hesitates,  at  a  loss. 

KINSEY.  [Hesitates  a  moment,  and  then  says.] 
Carlman. 

FRAULEIN.   He  is  from  Budapesth,  vere  I  have 
once  lived.     Good  night. 
KINSEY.   Auf  Wiedersehen. 
TILBURY.   Good  night ! 

[TiLBURYawd  KINS EY  come  down  to  rail;  KINSEY 
offers  TILBURY  a  cigarette,  and  they  light  them 
during  the  dialogue  that  follows.  The 
STEWARD  goes  about  gathering  up  the  rugs, 
etc. 

TILBURY.  I  had  quite  a  pal  in  London  from 
Budapesth  —  Count  Kinsey,  the  Count  Kinsey, 
the  older  brother.  Thanks!  [Referring  to  the 
cigarette  that  Kinsey  offers  him.]  Everybody 


40     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

called  him  Dolly  at  the  Gaiety.  Clever  girls, 
those!  His  name  was  Adolph.  Did  you  know 
him?  Thanks! 

[Lighting  his  cigarette  from  a  match  oj  KINSEY'S. 

KINSEY.  It  is  probably  vile  he  vas  in  London 
then  7  vas  in  Budapesth. 

[Lights  his  own  cigarette. 

TILBURY.  He  was  a  gay  chap.  His  crowd  was 
too  tight  a  screw  for  me,  but  I  knew  him  through 
Rosy.  Do  you  know  Rosy  Boggs  ?  She's  rippin' ! 
[KINSEY  looks  puzzled.]  You've  seen  the  Toreador  ? 

KINSEY.   Oh,  yes! 

TILBURY.  That's  Rosy!  —  the  third  from  the 
end  on  the  right  all  through  the  first  act !  It's  a 
nice  little  part.  She  has  a  line  in  that  act,  "He 
didn't  go  this  way!"  And,  by  George,  how  she 
does  say  it!  [Delighted  with  the  memory.]  Rippin'! 
Kinsey  was  daft  for  a  year  on  the  little  American 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD INE    41 

girly  who  stood  next  to  Rosy.  He  followed  her 
to  Russia  in  the  autumn,  and  back,  and  she's 
only  just  now  run  off  with  an  American  jockey 
over  here !  But  Kinsey's  after  her.  I  read  in 
a  paper  the  day  we  started  that  Count  Kinsey 
sailed  under  an  assumed  name  the  same 
week  as  we  did,  chasing  an  American 
girl. 

KINSEY.   [Really  moved.]  Zat  is  very  strange! 

TILBURY.  Oh,  no,  it  isn't.  You  see  Kinsey's 
got  a  lot  of  very  nasty  debts  in  London  and  Paris, 
and  daren't  show  his  face  in  Budapesth.  Rosy 
says  it's  his  American  girly's  been  paying  the  little 
bills  and  that's  why  Kinsey's  come  over  —  he 
can't  afford  to  lose  her! 

KINSEY.  [Draws  himself  up,  angry  but  dignified.] 
I  beg  your  pardon. 

TILBURY.  What's  up? 


42     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.  Nussing!  I  only  could  not  help 
me  one  minute's  resentful  of  such  bad  an 
accusation  to  —  mine  countryman ! 

Vi.   [Passing.]  Good  evening/ 

TILBURY.  Good  evening!  Are  you  rac- 
ing? 

Vi.  Oh,  no!  [Coming  back  quickly.]  Did  you 
see  the  boat?  Wasn't  it  perfectly  lovely!  I 
thought  it  looked  too  sweet  over  there!  Mr. — 
Lord  Tilbury,  Molly,  my  friend  Miss  Lansing  — 
from  Altoona.  [Both  acknowledge  the  introduction. 
Have  you  seen  the  moon?  Isn't  it  a  perfect 
DEAR! 

TILBURY.   But  I  haven't  seen  it! 

Vi.  You  oughtn't  to  miss  it,  ought  he,  Molly! 
It's  a  real  American  moon,  you  know.  You 
never  saw  anything  like  it  before. 

TILBURY.   May  I  come  along  and  see  it  now  ? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     43 

Vi.   Of  course!    We'll  be  perfectly  delighted, 
won't  we,  Molly? 

[The  three  then  go  off  Left,  leaving  KINSEY  alone. 
He  leans  against  the  rail. 

[Others  pass  by,  including  a  STEWARD. 
KINSEY.  Steward! 
STEWARD.  Yes,  sir. 

[He  comes  to  him. 

KINSEY.  I  vas  stealing  a  very  long  visit  zis 
night !  — 

STEWARD.  That's  all  right,  sir.      Stay  as  long 
as  you  like,  sir. 

KINSEY.  I  tank  you. 

[Gives  him  money. 
STEWARD.  Thanks,  sir. 

[He  goes  as  FRAULEIN  and  GERALDINE  come  out 
from  the  big  doorway.  GERALDINE  goes  to 
her  chair  and  gets  her  rose.  FRAULEIN  waits 
for  her. 


44     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.   Poor  old  Adolph !    Vat  a  beasts  he  iss ; 
but  he  cannot  help  dat,  he  always  so  vas. 

[FRAULEIN,  with  GERALDINE,  joins  KINSEY. 
FRAULEIN.  Talking  mit  de  stars? 
KINSEY.   No,  I  iss  afraid  I  vas  speaking  to  ze 
opposite  direction ! 

FRAULEIN.    I  vant  to  introduce  you  to  Mees 
Lang. 

[KINSEY  bows  very  low. 
FRAULEIN.  Herr  — 

[She  hesitates. 
KINSEY.   Carlman. 

GERALDINE.  I  am  very  glad  to  meet  you,  Herr 
Carlman. 

[KINSEY  touches  her  hand  for  a  second  only. 
She  leans  on  the  rail  beside  him.  FRAULEIN 
is  on  her  other  side.  The  two  forget  FRAULEIN 
is  there. 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     45 

KINSEY.  You  vill  excuse,  me,  please  how  I 
speak  ze  language? 

GERALDINE.  Oh,  you  speak  splendidly !  [Kinsey 
demurs.]  Thank  you  so  much  for  all  the  white 
roses. 

KINSEY.   I  tank  you  for  wearing  zem ! 

[A  moment's  pause. 

GERALDINE.  [Looking  straight  out  over  the  rails.] 
Isn't  it  a  lovely  evening!  . 

KINSEY.  [Also  looking  straight  out.]  Wunder- 
schoen ! 

[Another  second's  pause.    FRAULEIN  steals  away. 

[KINSEY  and  GERALDINE  speak  softly  under  the 
influence  of  the  evening. 

GERALDINE.  Fraulein  says  you  saw  us  in  Buda- 
pesth,  didn't  you,  Fraulein?  [Looking.]  Oh !  She's 
gone.  She's  not  very  well  to-day.  Those  big  swells 
we  had  this  afternoon  weren't  congenial  to  her ! 


46     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  CERALDINE 

KINSEY.  I  hafe  saw  you  at  ze  ball  at  ze  Countess 
Tratsky's. 

GERALDINE.  Yes,  I  was  there,  and  I  did,  have 
such  a  good  time! 

KINSEY.  But  you  away  hafe  gone  so  early. 

GERALDINE.  Wasn't  it  horrid !  But  we  were 
taking  an  early  train  the  next  morning.  Were  you 
one  of  those  beautiful  creatures  in  uniform,  with 
lovely  furred  jackets  hung  over  one  shoulder? 

KINSEY.   I  vas  in  a  uniform. 

GERALDINE.  I  adore  the  Hungarians ! 

KINSEY.   [Enthusiastically.]  Do  you!! 

GERALDINE.  Yes  —  their  music  and  costumes 
and  manners,  and  all  that. 

KINSEY.  Oh !  But  /  hafe  vent  on  to  London 
also. 

GERALDINE.  Did  you?  Do  you  know  London 
very  well? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    47 

KINSEY.  Oh,  very  veil;  I  have  live  zere;  but  dis 
time  I  go  because  zey  tell  me  at  your  hotel  zat  you 
'ave  gone  zere. 

GERALDINE.  That  wasn't  a  very  good  reason, 
especially  as  7  didn't  know  it. 

KINSEY.  Yess! 

GERALDINE.  What  are  you  going  to  America 
for? 

KINSEY.  Veil !  for  one  reason  I  go  to  —  I  tink 
ze  word  —  earn  ?  mine  living. 

GERALDINE.  You'll  have  lots  of  splendid  com- 
pany doing  that  in  America.  And  your  other 
reason  for  going?  It  can't  be  to  marry,  or  you 
wouldn't  have  begun  with  the  other.  Foreigners 
usually  just  jumble  those  two  reasons  up  together. 

KINSEY.  I  iss  sorry,  but  I  cannot  tell  you  my 
ozer  reason  —  not  now ! 

GERALDINE.   Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr. — 


48     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.    [Hesitatingly.]   Carlman. 

GERALDINE.  Carlman,  I'm  afraid  I  was  too 
curious. 

KINSEY.  No,  no,  Mees  Lang,  it  was  not  so,  and 
zere  iss  one  sing  I  must  —  I  tink  ze  word  —  I 
must  discover  you  —  mine  name  iss  not  Carlman. 
But  you  must  not  efer  ask  me  ze  real  one  —  zat  I 
can  nefer  tell. 

GERALDINE.   [Half  amused.]  I  never  will  — 

KINSEY.  Zat  is  a  promise  ? 

GERALDINE.   [Smiling.]   Certainly,  if  you  like. 

KINSEY.  You  understand  ?  I  vas  not  —  I  tink 
ze  word  —  ashame  of  mine  name,  it  iss  more 
possibility  ashame  of  me! 

GERALDINE.  Why?    What  have  you  done? 

KINSEY.  Nussing!  We  hafe  all  nefer  done 
nussing  much,  but  over  here  I  do  some  thing,  much, 
all  zat  I  can. 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    49 

GERALDINE.  [Seeing  a  curious  bundle  he  half 
conceals.]  Is  that  a  violin? 

KINSEY.  Yes.  It  vas  going  with  me  after  I  left 
ze  rose,  far  up  in  ze  back  to  play  to  mineself  a 
leettle. 

GERALDINE.  Oh,  I  wish  you'd  play  a  little 
here !  Would  you  ?  Every  one's  on  the  other  side 
because  it's  warmer!  [He  is  taking  his  violin 
from  its  wrapping.]  Oh,  you  will!  How  de- 
lightful ! 

KINSEY.  I  try  unt  sing  you  one  leettle  Viennese 
song.  You  like  zat? 

GERALDINE.   I  shall  love  it! 

KINSEY.   Yes,  it  iss  a  loaf  song ! 

GERALDINE.  But  I  shan't  understand  the 
words ! 

KINSEY.  [Smiling.]  No,  zat  is  why  I  dare  to 
sing  him! 


50     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

[KINSEY  sings  an  old  Viennese  love  song  — 
accompanying  himself  pizzicato  on  the  violin. 

[Toward  the  end  one  0}  the  port-holes  opens  and  a 
woman  looks  out.  A  group  of  young  people 
led  by  Vi  and  TILBURY  come  through  the 
passage  at  Left  and  stand  at  the  end  to  listen. 
When  he  finishes  these  people  applaud.  KIN- 
SEY, who  has  been  lost  in  his  song,  starts,  as 
does  Geraldine. 

[After  the  applause.]  Oh,  ze  beastly  peoples! 
[Puts  away  his  violin. 

GERALDINE.  [Shyly,  but  a  little  tenderly  and 
smiling.]  I  wish  I  knew  the  words. 

[Vi  and  her  friends  sit  in  chairs  by  the  staircase 
Left  and  on  the  stairs  and  on  the  rugs  on  the 
deck. 

KINSEY.  I  vill  in  English  write  it  one  ozer  day  — 
perhaps. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     51 

|/1  second's  pause. 

GERALDINE.  {Looking  up.]  What  a  lovely 
night ! 

KINSEY.  [Gazing  at  her.}  I  tink  ze  word  — 
most  beautifulest  I 

[Vi  and  her  friends  begin  singing  an  old  college 
song,  "Uppideef     Uppidee!" 

GERALDINE.  [After  a  moment.]  They  are  sing- 
ing an  old  American  college  song !  I  have  it  in  a 
book  of  my  father's.  You  know  I'm  going  home 
for  the  first  time  in  fourteen  years.  Can  you  im- 
agine how  I  feel? 

KINSEY.  Yes,  I  feel  ze  same  way! 

GERALDINE.  You  can't !  You're  going  away 
from  home ! 

KINSEY.  I  don't  know  vere  I  vas  going,  but  I 
feel  most  happiest ! 

[Smiling. 


52     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  But  you  won't  tell  me  your  true 
name? 

KINSEY.  Some  day.  But  till  zen  you  hafe 
promise  you  vill  not  ask  me ! 

GERALDINE.  And  I  won't  —  there's  my  word 
on  it. 

[Gives  him  her  hand. 

[Vi  and  her  friends  begin  singing,  "I  was  Seeing 
Nellie  Home,"  and  continue  till  after  the 
curtain  has  fallen. 

GERALDINE.   But  I  may  never  see  you  again  ? 

KINSEY.    Oh,  yes,  I  vill  live  me  in  New  York. 

GERALDINE.  But  New  York  is  so  big!  Even 
in  this  little  boat  —  think,  we  haven't  met  for  five 
days! 

KINSEY.  Because  I  come  ze  second  class.  You 
know  zis  boat  iss  very  —  I  tink  ze  word  —  expen- 
sifes  ?  —  but  I  must  come  on  him ! 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE  53 

GERALDINE.  Why? 

KINSEY.   Because  —  you  —  vere  —  on  board  on 
him. 

[A  second's  pause. 

GERALDINE.   I  think  we'd  better  walk  a  little, 
don't  you? 

KINSEY.  Vy? 

GERALDINE.    Oh  —  I'm  afraid   the  moonlight's 
—  just  a  little  —  catching/  ? — /  — 

[A  second's  pause,  and  they  start  off  to  walk  as 

THE   CURTAIN   FALLS 


ACT  II 

Two  days  later.  The  hallway  of  the  late  Mr. 
Raymond  Lang's  house  in  New  York;  a 
handsome  room  in  warm  gray  Caen  stone.  On 
tall  old  gilt  Italian  torcheres,  at  each  side,  are 
big  branched  candelabra.  On  the  wall  behind 
the  stairs  hangs  a  Gobelin  tapestry.  On  the 
Left  are  the  iron  grills  of  the  post  door.  On 
the  Right  is  the  door  to  the  servants'  quarters. 
The  stairs  run  from  Left  Centre  to  Right. 
There  is  a  door  between  the  foot  of  the  stairs 
Right  Center  and  Right,  to  a  reception  room. 


As  the  curtain  rises  MRS.  JARS,  a  jolly,  very  stout, 

54 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     55 

middle-aged    housekeeper    in    black,  with    large 

black  ribbon  bow  at  her  throat,  is  at  the  foot  0}  the 

staircase  and  starts  running  up. 

JARS.  [A  typical  upper-class  servant,  entering 
Right.]  What  is  it,  Mrs.  Jars? 

MRS.  JARS.  Don't  stop  me,  Mr.  Jars;  I  for- 
got to  put  out  the  best  embroidered  towels  in 
her  bedroom,  and  she  may  be  here  now  any 
minute ! 

JARS.  [With  hauteur.]  I  put  out  the  towels, 
Mrs.  Jars! 

MRS.  JARS.  [Coming  downstairs.]  That  was 
just  like  you  now,  Mr.  Jars,  athinking  even  of  my 
work.  Is  it  clean  do  you  think? 

[Stooping  to  pick  up  something. 

JARS.  I  never  saw  a  piece  of  your  work  that 
wasn't ! 

MRS.  JARS.  Duckie !   [And  running  to  him,  she 


56     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

kisses  him.}  But  there,  I've  forgotten  something 
else  —  the  window  in  her  room  —  it's  aired 
quite  enough  now. 

[Hurrying  upstairs. 

JARS.   Mrs.  Jars,  you  oughtn't  to  run  up  them 
stairs ! 

MRS.  JARS.   {Puffing.}  It  won't  hurt  me. 
JARS.   I  was  a-thinking  of  the  stairs! 

[MRS.  JARS  laughs  aloud.     Door-bell  rings. 
MRS.  JARS.    Land  sakes,  there  she  is!    Wait 
till  I  get  down. 

[Hurries  breathlessly  downstairs  to  Left  centre, 
smoothing  herself  down,  and  trying  to  look  very 
dignified.     JARS    also    composes    himself   and 
opens  the  door.    A  MESSENGER  BOY  hands  in 
a  box  of  roses  and  a  note. 
JARS.   Flowers  for  us ! 
MRS.  JARS.   [Taking  box.}  Mercy  on  us,  if  she 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE  57 

ain't  gone  and  sent  us  one  of  them  wireless  mes- 
sages ! 

[She  opens  the  box,  as  JARS  opens  the  letter. 

JARS.   It's  from  Mrs.  Wrighton. 

MRS.  JARS.  Oh !  —  Now  ain't  she  good,  and 
sending  Mr.  Wrighton  down  to  the  boat  to  meet 
her,  too. 

JARS.  She  says  for  us  to  put  them  in  the  hall  to 
welcome  Miss  Geraldine. 

MRS.  JARS.  [With  the  roses  out  of  the  box.] 
Beautiful !  Of  course  she  knows  we  ain't  got  no 
finished  drawing-room. 

JARS.  You  get  a  vase,  and  I'll  get  some  water 
[MRS.  JARS  starts  to  run  upstairs.]  There's  no 
vase  upstairs ! 

MRS.  JARS.  [Halfway  up,  stops  and  comes 
back.]  Oh,  ain't  they! 

JARS.   There's  one  here    in  the    pantry.     [He 


58     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

goes  out  Right.]  I  fixed  it  for  some  flowers  I 
was  going  to  get. 

[Reenters  with  vase,  and  they  arrange  the 
•flowers. 

MRS.  JARS.  Did  you  !  You  thoughtful  duckie, 
you. 

JARS.  Where's  your  pretty  pink  bow,  Mrs. 
Jars? 

MRS.  JARS.  Sure  the  young  lady'll  arrive  all 
in  crape,  and  the  whole  house'll  have  to  wear  black 
for  a  time  to  be  in  sympathy  with  her  sorrer. 
Ain't  she  lost  her  uncle? 

JARS.  Little  he  cared  for  her.  One  letter  a 
month  and  a  cheque  at  Christmas. 

MRS.  JARS.  It  ill  becomes  us  all  the  same  who 
was  remembered  in  his  last  will  and  testament 
not  to  sympathize  with  her  grief.  When  she 
enters,  she'll  bust  into  a  flood  o'  tears,  I  tell  you, 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE  59 

and  say,  "Oh,  my  poor  uncle!"  Like  as  not  she 
won't  remember  us  at  all. 

JARS.  Or  know  us  if  she  did,  probably  bein' 
full  of  foreign  airs. 

MRS.  JARS.  Then  she'll  not  be  the  child  I 
remember,  who's  cried  her  heart  out  many  a  time 
on  my  bussom.  I've  kept  his  own  bedroom  for 
her  exactly  as  he  left  it  when  he  died ! 

JARS.  What!!! 

MRS.  JARS.  It'll  be  like  a  piece  of  her  uncle  to 
her. 

JARS.  Yes,  and  a  pretty  big  piece  too,  I  reckon. 
Is  that  why  you've  kept  that  door  locked? 

MRS.  JARS.  It  is.  I  wouldn't  have  a  thing 
touched ! 

JARS.  Mrs.  Jars,  you're  out  of  your  mind,  your 
innocent  baby  mind !  Have  you  unlocked  the 
door  now? 


60     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  JARS.   Of  course ! 

JARS.  [Sternly.]  Then  go  upstairs  and  lock  ill 
[She  looks  at  him,  astonished,  without  moving.] 
Quick !  [She  hurries  up  the  stairs,  but  halfway  up 
he  stops  her.  He  is  a  little  excited.]  Mrs.  Jars, 
come  down,  I  hear  wheels! 

MRS.  JARS.  Mercy,  they're  coming!  [She 
hurries  back  in  great  excitement.  They  take  their 
positions  side  by  side  in  the  centre  and  are  both  very 
excited.]  Calm  yourself,  Mr.  Jars. 

JARS.    [Drawing  himself  up  stiffly.]   Me ! ! 

MRS.  JARS.  And  have  a  mournful  look  on. 
Remember  her  coming  back's  a  sorrer  to 
her! 

JARS.  I  can't  make  no  pretence  of  what  I  don't 
feel  1 

MRS.  JARS.  Yes,  you  can,  appearences  is  easy. 

[Taking  out  a  deep  black-bordered  handkerchief. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    61 

she  holds  it  conspicuously  in  her  folded  hands, 
on  her  capacious  jront. 

JARS.   Our    lamented    former    master  —  thank 
God,  he's  gone  —  was  not  a  nice  man,  Mrs.  Jars. 
MRS.  JARS.    Don't  think  of  that;  think  of  the 
thousand  dollars  he  left  us ! 

[The  electric  bell  rings  violently,  and  some  one 
raps  rapidly  and  continuously  on  the  glass  of 
the  front  door. 

JARS.   Here  she  is !   Now  be  dignified,  Mrs.  Jars. 
MRS.  JARS.   [On  the  verge  of  tears.}  I'm  ready, 
—  but  if  she's  like  her  dear  mother,  Jars,  I'll  — 
I'll  —  go  all  to  pieces ! 

[JARS  has  gone  to  the  door.  He  opens  it.  GER- 
ALDINE stands  there  with  FRAULEIN  a  little 
behind  her.  GERALDINE  wears  a  brilliant 
scarlet  dress  with  a  white  rose  in  her 
belt.  FRAULEIN  is  also  dressed  in  colours. 


62     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  CERALDINE 

They  cany  hand,  luggage,  and  behind  them 
are  two  cab  drivers,  with  more  luggage. 
GERALDINE.  Is     this     Mr.  —  yes  —  I'm     sure 
you're  William  Jars,  aren't  you? 

[Coming  toward  him. 
JARS.  Yes,  miss. 

[Bowing. 

GERALDINE.   Ah !    You  see !    I've  remembered 
all  these  years !    How  do  you  do,  Jars  ? 

[Shakes  his  hand. 
[FRAULEIN  follows  her  in. 
JARS.   Very  well,  thank  you,  miss. 
DRIVER.   Shall  we  bring  down  the  luggage? 
GERALDINE.   Yes,  please.     [JARS  half  doses  the 
door.      GERALDINE,  suddenly  seeing  MRS.   JARS, 
cries  out  with  delight.]      And   there's  Mrs.  Jars! 
Dear  old  Mrs.  Jars !   [Kissing  her.]  Just  the  same ! 
Oh,  I've  never  forgotten  you,  and  you  haven't 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     63 

lost  a  single  pound,  have  you  !  I'm  sure  your  lap 
is  just  as  comfortable  as  ever  it  was,  and  your 
bosom  just  as  comforting !  Eh ! 

MRS.  JARS.  [In  tears.]  Oh,  I'm  sure,  Miss 
Geraldine,  you  overcome  me !  Think  of  remem- 
bering o'  me  all  these  years  —  and  you  so  like 
your  mother !  [Crying,  she  breaks  down,  and  speaks 
through  her  sobs.]  There,  I  told  you,  Jars,  if  she  was 
like  her  mother,  —  and  she's  the  living  image,  — 
I'd  go  all  to  pieces ! 

[She  runs  out  Right,  ashamed  of  her  exhibition 
of  feeling. 

GERALDINE.  Dear  old  soul!  [She  turns  to  her 
companion  and  puts  her  arm  about  her.]  Ah ! 
Fraulein,  this  is  a  real  welcome  home,  isn't  it  ?  — 
and  to  be  told  that  I'm  really  like  my  mother ! 

FRAULEIN.  [Enthusiastically.]  It  vas  indeed 
gootlf 


64     THE  STUBBORNNESS    OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  But  I  forgot;  you  don't  know  Jars, 
do  you — the  butler  here  ever  since  I  was  a  baby? 
This  is  my  friend,  Fraulein  Handt,  who  lives  with 
me. 

JARS.  I  welcome  you,  too,  Miss  Fraulein,  if 
you  will  excuse  me. 

FRAULEIN.   I  tank  you ! 

GERALDINE.  I've  told  you  about  Jars  and  Mrs. 
Jars  often !  Oh,  what  lovely  roses ! 

JARS.   They  was  sent  by  Mrs.  Wrighton,  miss. 

GERALDINE.  How  dear  of  her !  [To  FRAULEIN.] 
Her  older  sister  was  mamma's  most  intimate 
friend.  It  was  her  husband  who  met  us. 

FRAULEIN.  Yes,  I  'ave  heard  my  aunt  spoke  of 
them.  It  vas  one  very  happy  marriage;  they  haf 
never  got  yet  ben  out  their  honeymoon. 

GERALDINE.  That's  the  kind  of  marriage  7 
intend  to  make! 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     65 

FRAULEIN.   I  hope. 

[Patting  her  affectionately. 
[MRS.  JARS  returns,  wearing  a  big  bright  pink 
silk  bow  at  her  throat,  and  carrying  a  red 
embroidered  handkerchief. 
MRS.  JARS.   Excuse  me,  miss,  for  givin'  way. 
GERALDINE.   Of  course !    That  made  it  a  real 
home-coming  for  me.    And  I  want  you  and  Fraulein 
Handt  to  know  each  other,  —  Fraulein  has  brought 
me  over. 

MRS.  JARS.   [With  a  courtesy.]  Pleased  to  make 
your  acquaintance,  miss. 
FRAULEIN.   I  tank  you. 

[JARS  goes  out  Right. 

GERALDINE.   And  look  at  the  pretty  pink  bow 
she's  put  on ! !     Mrs.  Jars,  you're  a  coquette ! 

MRS.  JARS.   [Confused.]    Oh,  no,  please,  miss, 
I   wear  it  to  please  Jars;    but  I  put  on  black 


66     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

to-day,  thinking  you  might  be  arriving  in 
mourning. 

GERALDINE.  Mourning  for  Uncle  Ray !  What- 
ever I  am,  I'm  not  a  hypocrite !  Mourning  for  that 
naughty  old  creature  who  couldn't  bear  me,  who 
wouldn't  have  me  even  in  the  same  country  with 
him,  and  sent  me  off  to  that  stupid  hole  where  the 
childhood  and  girlhood  were  all  studied  out  of  me ! 
No !  I  never  wore  red  before  in  my  life !  But  when 
I  heard  that  precious  old  uncle  of  mine  was  finished, 
I  went  out  that  very  day  and  bought  this  dress ! 

DRIVER.  {Pushing  open  door,  his  arms  full.} 
If  you  please,  ma'am,  the  baggage  is  all  down  now. 
Shall  we  bring  it? 

MRS.  JARS.   Yes,  of  course! 

[The  MEN  bring  in  many  trunks  of  all  sizes, 
bandboxes,  boxes,  handbags,  shawl  straps,  and 
steamer  chairs,  until  the  stage  is  actually  full, 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     67 

with,  in  some  instances,  trunks  and  bags  on 
top  of  one  another.  Meanwhile  the  following 
dialogue  takes  place. 

GERALDINE.  [Referring  to  the  luggage  that  begins 
to  come  in.]  I've  brought  with  me  everything  I've 
ever  owned ! 

MRS.  JARS.  Would  you  like  to  go  to  your 
room? 

GERALDINE.  I  think  I'll  wait  till  the  luggage 
is  in. 

MRS.  JARS.  I'm  sorry  to  say  Mr.  Lang  never 
finished  this  room  down  here.  There  isn't  even  a 
chair  in  it. 

[Opening  door  Left. 

GERALDINE.  [Looking  in.]  Ugh !  It  looks  like 
the  ghost  of  a  room,  doesn't  it? 

MRS.  JARS.  Mr.  Lang  never  entertained  com- 
pany, except  in  the  dining  room,  and  that  room 


, 


68     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

and  the  hall  was  all  he  had  furnished  downstairs. 
[Front  bell  rings.  She  goes  to  the  door  Left.] 
Yes,  ma'am,  she's  come !  Yes,  ma'am.  I  think 
you'd  better  let  them  get  in  first  or  they'll  ruin 
that  elegant  dress.  [Turns  to  GERALDINE.]  It's 
Mrs.  Wrighton! 

[The  Two  MEN  pass  in  with  a  big  trunk  and  a 
little  steamer  one  on  top  o)  it. 

GERALDINE.  Oh,  Fraulein,  do  you  think  she'll 
like  me?  —  and  only  think  she  knew  my  mother, 
too. 

[The  Two  MEN,  having  deposited  their  trunks, 
stand  to  one  side. 

MRS.  JARS.   Come  in,  ma'am. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Outside,  looking  at  the  two 
men.]  It's  lucky  the  young  lady  hadn't  to  pay 
duty!  [She  enters.]  Where  is — ?  [Looking  about 
her.  GERALDINE  stands  expectant,  breathless. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     69 

MRS.  WRIGHTON  sees  her  and  starts.]  My  dear 
child !  [They  go  quickly  toward  each  other  with 
outstretched  hands.  MRS.  JARS  goes  out  the  front 
door.  MRS.  WRIGHTON  is  a  charming  woman  of 
distinction,  about  forty-five  years  of  age,  and  looking 
naturally  younger  •  very  smartly  dressed,  without 
any  appearance  of  an  effort  to  that  end.  She  is 
perhaps  more  sentimental  than  one  has  the  right  to 
expect  in  a  woman  of  the  world,  but  that's  forgivable; 
she  means  it,  and  it  makes  her  happy.]  I  would 
know  you  anywhere !  [She  holds  GERALDINE'S 
hand  tight  and  affectionately  and  gazes  into  her 
face.]  The  living  image!  The  living  image  of 
your  mother ! 

GERALDINE.  [Her  throat  and  eyes  filling.]  Oh, 
will  you  kiss  me?  I'm  so  glad  to  be  hornet 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Taking  her  in  her  arms.] 
My  dear  child !  [Kisses  her.]  I  love  you  already ! 


70     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

You're  overexcited!  You'll  be  laughing  in  a 
minute.  Is  this  Fraulein  Handt? 

GERALDINE.  {Controlling  her  tears.]  Oh,  yes, 
excuse  me.  My  dear  good  old  friend  and  my 
dear  good  new  friend ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [To  FRAULEIN,  shaking 
hands.]  I'm  very  glad  indeed  to  know  you. 
When  I  was  Miss  Geraldine's  age  I  knew  your 
aunt  very  well. 

FRAULEIN.  I  tank  you ! 

GERALDINE.  Would  you  mind  sitting  down 
here  somewhere  till  the  luggage  is  in? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  By  all  means.  These  trunks 
are  perfectly  comfortable.  [They  sit  on  a  large 
trunk,  side  by  side,  FRAULEIN  standing  by  the  door 
and  directing  the  bringing  in  of  their  luggage.] 
And  now,  Geraldine  —  I  shall  call  you  Geraldine  ? 

GERALDINE.   Of  course. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     71 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Your  mother  did  me  a  ser- 
vice I  can  never  forget  when  I  was  a  girl  your  age. 
I  want  to  ask  you  to  let  me  be  a  second,  mother 
to  you,  may  I  ?  A  sort  of  well-meaning  stepmother  I 
[Laughing.]  And  to  Fraulein,  too! 

GERALDINE.  How  good  of  you!  How  good  of 
you! 

FRAULEIN.  Miss  Geraldine,  why  vill  you  not 
make  haste  go  to  your  room  for  one  leettle  minute, 
refresh  yourself  mit  a  leettle  vater?  I  vill  vatch  out 
for  de  luggages. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Yes,  do,  and  take  off  your  hat 
and  make  yourself  comfortable. 

[MRS.  JARS  returns. 

GERALDINE.  [Rising.]  Mrs.  Jars,  will  you  show 
me  my  room,  please? 

MRS.  JARS.  Certainly!  [Climbing  over  a  trunk 
which  blocks  her  passage.]  And  I  forgot  to  tell 


72     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

you,  Miss  Geraldine,  that  I've  kep  your  uncle's 
room  sacred,  just  as  he  left  it,  no  one  has  been  in  it, 
till  you  go. 

[Going  upstairs. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [To  FRAULEIN.]  Wel\\[With 
a  long  breath,  laughingly.]  That's  a  pretty  large 
order,  I  should  imagine,  for  a  young  girl ! 

GERALDINE.  [Stops  on  stairs  to  speak  to  MRS. 
WRIGHTON.]  Mrs.  Wrighton. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Nothing  of  the  sort !  Call  me 
Aunt  Janet. 

GERALDINE.  [Delighted.]  Aunt  Janet!  Won't 
you  come  with  me  and  see  my  room? 

[MRS.  WRIGHTON  half  rises  to  go,  but  FRAULEIN, 
with  a  gesture  and  a  serious,  appealing  look, 
stops  her. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  No,  dear,  I'll  wait  here  with 
Fraulein. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE  73 

GERALDINE.  Very  well.    I  won't  be  long,  Aunt 
Janet. 
[,4s  she  goes  on  upstairs,  FRAULELN  whispers  to 

MRS.  WRIGHTON. 
MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Geraldine? 
GERALDINE.  Yes  ? 

[MRS.  JARS  disappears  upstairs. 
MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Throw  me  that  white  rose, 
it's  lovely. 

GERALDINE.  Oh!  [Putting  her  hand  over  it.] 
I'm  so  sorry,  but  I  couldn't.  [She  goes  on,  but  stops 
at  top  to  call  over  the  railing.]  Fraulein ! ! !  [Laugh- 
ing.] Oh,  you  are  a  tattle  tale!! 

[She  follows  after  MRS.  JARS. 

[The  following  conversation  is  interrupted  several 

times  by  the  MEN  bringing  in  trunks.     The 

Two  WOMEN  always  break  off  the  conversation, 

even  in  the  middle  of  a  word,  when  the  MEN 


74     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

enter,  and,  continue  exactly  where  they  left  off 
when  the  MEN  exit. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Why? 

[Interrupted. 

FRAULEIN.  [Interrupting.]  Exguse  me!  There 
vas  so  leettle  time.  I  hafe  gave  my  sacred  vord  I 
vill  not  tell  her,  ant  I  vas  afraid  it  means  I  vill  tell 
nobody,  but  I  must  tell  yust  you,  for  I  may  haf 
wrong  done,  and  I  cannot  haf  dat  responsiblity  by 
mineself. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Of  what? 

FRAULEIN.  The  white  rose  vas  gif  her,  as  one 
efery  day,  by  a  young  Hungarian  gentleman  who 
hafe  followed  Mees  Geraldine  here  from  Budapesth. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Smiling.]  Well,  I  think  he 
showed  very  good  taste ! 

FRAULEIN.  But  I  tink  already  she  is  in  loaf  with 
him! 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     75 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh!  Already  I  Still,  you  say 
he  is  a  gentleman? 

FRAULEIN.  He  behafe  so,  —  only  —  he  has  no 
money  —  not  at  all ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  That's  not  unusual  with 
foreigners  —  I  suppose  he  has  a  title  ? 

FRAULEIN.  Dot  is  vat  I  have  swore  I  vill  not 
tell. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   But  — 

FRAULEIN.  I  recognize  him,  pecause  I  hafe 
saw  him  in  London,  to  der  ambassador's,  his  ungle- 
vere  I  vas  de  governess  unt  he  vas  der  secretary. 
But  he  call  himself  Mr.  Carlman.  Now,  nobody 
must  know  vas  iss  his  true  name. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  That  doesn't  sound  quite 
right. 

FRAULEIN.  To  me  neither,  aber  he  haf  for  him- 
self reasons.  He  is  a  Kinsey  —  a  Count  Kinsey. 


76     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   The  name  sounds  familiar. 

FRAULEIN.  Mees  Geraldine  do  not  know.  But 
I  hafe  feel  I  must  tell  you,  pecause  you  are  a  voman 
of  der  vorld  unt  can  look  out  for  her  besser  as  I 
can !  If  he  is  not  a  goot  man  —  I  hafe  heard 
me  some  tings  .  .  . 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Wait  a  minute  —  Kinsey  — 
of  course  —  it  was  all  in  the  Herald  last  week  —  a 
Count  Kinsey  who  had  some  disgraceful  scandal 
in  London,  and  had  sailed  for  New  York  under  an 
assumed  name.  This  looks  very  serious.  You 
think  she  is  really  interested  in  him? 

FRAULEIN.   Oh,  yes ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  We  must  make  inquiries  at 
once  about  it. 

FRAULEIN.  He  vas  in  de  Austrio-Hungary 
embassy  in  London  some  five  —  six  years  ago. 
You  might  find  out  someting  through  London. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     77 

Ach,  Himmel,  I   feel   so   relieved   I   hafe   tell  it 
all! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Don't  you  worry!  Maybe 
the  man  has  only  sown  a  few  wild  oats  —  and 
meanwhile  —  anyway,  to  be  on  the  safe  side  we'll 
distract  Geraldine,  and  I'll  meet  Mr.  — 

FRAULEIN.   Carlman. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  But  he  owned  up  to  you  he 
was  Count  Kinsey? 

FRAULEIN.  He  had  to !  I  recognize  him,  and 
den  he  made  me  promise  I  vould  not  tell  — 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  And  he  hasn't  a  penny  — 

FRAULEIN.   Nutting,  but  — 

{Interrupted. 

[As  GERALDINE  appears  on  the  landing  above. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Sh ! 

[Seeing  GERALDINE. 

GERALDINE.   [Who  is  laughing,  with  one  hand 


78     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

behind  her  back.]  My  dear  friends,  I  don't  want 
to  be  unfeeling,  but  I  went  in  for  one  second  to 
Uncle  Ray's  bedroom,  kept  sacred  for  my  eyes  — 
and  what  do  you  think  was  the  first  thing  I  saw 
on  his  dressing-table? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  What? 

GERALDINE.   One  pink  satin  lady's  slipper ! 

[Showing  it. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  My  dear,  I  hope  you  were 
discreet ! 

GERALDINE.  I  was !  I  looked  no  farther !  [She 
comes  down  a  few  steps,  then  stops  and  eyes  them 
suspiciously.]  You  two've  been  talking  about 
me! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  We  couldn't  have  a  better 
topic ! 

[The  DRIVERS  enter  with  the  last  luggage.     The 
floor  of  the  hall  is  literally  covered,  the  small 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     79 

luggage    being    on   top   of    the    big.      MRS. 
WRIGHTON  and  FRAULEIN  have  been  driven 
to  the  tops  of  two  large  "Saratogas" 
GERALDINE.    But  surely  you're  going  to  take 
it    upstairs?      You    aren't    going    to    leave    it 
here? 

DRIVER.   We've  done  all  we  can.    We  got  other 
luggage  to  deliver. 
GERALDINE.   But  — 

[Interrupted. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Interrupting.]  Never  mind. 
Jars  will  find  some  men  to  move  them. 

GERALDINE.  Very  well.  Will  you  pass  that  on, 
please?  [She  laughs,  giving  some  money  to  MRS. 
WRIGHTON,  who  passes  it  on  to  FRAULEIN,  who 
gives  it  to  the  MEN.  This  is  because  the  trunks 
make  it  impossible  to  move  about.  When  the  money 
reaches  the  MEN.]  Thank  you! 


8o     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

DRIVER.   Thank  you,  miss. 

[They  go  out  Left. 

GERALDINE.  {Sitting  on  the  stairs,  halfway  down.  ] 
Fraulein  told  you  about  my  mysterious  friend  of 
the  white  roses? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Yes,  and  I  want  very  much  to 
meet  him. 

GERALDINE.  Ah !  That  is  good  of  you.  He's 
really  charming.  But  he's  like  Lohengrin,  —  he 
won't  tell  who  he  really  is. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  But  a  swan  didn't  draw  his 
boat  over! 

GERALDINE.  No,  thank  goodness !  Twin  screws, 
even,  were  too  slow  for  me ! 

[The  front  door-bell  rings. 

GERALDINE.   Perhaps  that's  he ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  You  didn't  ask  him  to  call 
to-day  ? 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    81 

GERALDINE.  [She  hesitates  a  little  in  this  speech.] 
No,  I  didn't  ask  him,  but  I  gave  him  my  address, 
and  told  him  to  come  any  time  he  liked  and  let 
me  know  where  he  would  be.  I  thought  that  as  I 
was  an  American,  it  was  only  being  decently  hos- 
pitable to  a  foreigner  in  my  home. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  That's  a  little  thin,  my  dear, 
considering  how  long  you've  been  in  this  country. 

[MRS.  JARS  comes  in  Left  to  answer  the  bell,  but 
there  is  no  passage  /or  her  except  over  the 
luggage. 

MRS.  JARS.  The  land  sakes ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  You'll  have  to  climb,  Mrs. 
Jars! 

MRS.  JARS.  This  is  worse  than  the  streets 
getting  ready  for  the  underground  railroad. 

[Climbing  over  the  trunks. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Tell  Jars,  when  you  go  back, 


82     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

to  send  over  to  Third  Avenue  for  some  men  to 
move  them! 

FRAULEIN.  I  tink  when  you  vill  excuse  me  I 
vill  go  now  up  to  my  room. 

[She  climbs  toward  the  staircase.  She  and 
MRS.  JARS  help  each  other,  holding  hands 
while  they  cross. 

[The  bell  rings  again. 

GERALDINE.  [Rising,  with  a  little  suppressed 
excitement.]  Mrs.  Jars,  if  it  should  be  a  foreign 
gentleman  who  can't  speak  English,  tell  him  we're 
at  home. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  We  couldn't  escape  very 
well,  even  if  we  wanted  to.  And  I  can't  go  till 
my  husband  comes  for  me.  He  promised  to,  and 
I've  never  disappointed  him  in  my  life. 

[MRS.  JARS  opens  the  door.  Vi  and  LORD 
TILBURY  are  outside. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE  83 

Vi.   Is  Miss  Lang  at  home? 
GERALDINE.   Oh,  Miss  Tompson,  do  come  in, 
and  Lord  Tilbury,  I'm  delighted! 

[She  runs  down  the  steps,  but  is  herself  stopped 
there  by  the  trunks.    Vi  and  TILBURY  come 
into  the  hall,  saying  gayly,  "How  do  you  do!" 
but  they,  too,  are  stopped  by  the  trunks. 
GERALDINE.  I'm  so  sorry.      Isn't  it  awful ;  the 
men  wouldn't  carry  them  up ! 

MRS.  JARS.    [In  the  front  doorway.]   Excuse  me, 
miss,  I  will  go  out  and  come  in  by  the  basement 
door.     Would  you  care  for  tea,  miss? 
GERALDINE.   Oh,  yes,  please ! 
MRS.  JARS.  Yes,  miss. 

[She  goes  out  the  front  door. 
Vi.    Come  along,  Lord  Tilbury,  who's  afraid? 
[She  takes  his  hand  and  jumps  up  on  one  trunk, 
and  then  pulls  him  up  after  her. 


84     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.   Thanks  awfully ! 

Vi.   Talk  about  Switzerland ! 

GERALDINE.  Aunt  Janet,  I  want  to  present  Miss 
Tompson,  one  of  my  steamer  friends. 

MRS.   WRIGHTON.   [Pleasantly.]  Delighted. 

GERALDINE.  My  aunt,  Mrs.  Wrighton. 

Vi.   How  do  you  do. 

GERALDINE.    And  Lord  Tilbury — Mrs.  Wrigh- 
ton. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Charmed ! 

TILBURY.   [In  bowing,  the  trunk  he  is  on  tips,  and 
losing  his  balance,  he  almost  falls.  ]  I  beg  your  pardon ! 

GERALDINE.   Do  sit  down  and  be  safe.     You'll 
find  hat  boxes  and  things. 

[Sitting  herself  again. 
[They  all  sit  in  a  group. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   How  do  you  like  America, 
Lord  Tilbury? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     85 

TILBURY.   Oh,  I  think  it's  rippin'  I 

Vi.  He  doesn't  know  anything  about  it,  but  I'm 
going  to  show  him.  I  made  him  come  up  here  in  a 
cable  car,  and  he's  never  been  out  of  a  cab  before 
in  his  life ! 

GERALDINE.  How  did  you  like  the  cable  car, 
Lord  Tilbury? 

TILBURY.    Oh,  I  thought  it  was  rippin' ! 

Vi.  And  he's  got  to  go  back  in  the  elevated!  — 
I  came  to  tell  you  where  we're  stopping.  I  couldn't 
find  you  anywhere  this  morning.  Did  you  have 
a  bad  time  at  the  customs  ?  Oh,  my  dear,  we  had 
it  perfectly  awful!!  Perfectly  aw  full  11  They 
wanted  to  arrest  mamma  for  a  dressmaker  — 
said  no  private  woman  would  be  bringing  in  so 
many  dresses,  and  that  they  must  be  models !  I 
don't  know  what  people  think  society  in  Butte  City 
is  like !  They'd  better  come  out  and  see. 


86     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.   But  what  DID  you  do? 

Vi.  Well,  the  first  thing  we  did  was  for  popper 
to  make  everything  worse,  by  shouting  out,  "Where 

in did  all  these  dresses  come  from,  anyway ! 

I  never  saw  any  of  them  before ! " 

[MRS.  WRIGHTON  and  GERALDINE  exchange  an 
amused  glance. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Just  like  a  man! 

GERALDINE.  I  hope  your  mother  came  out  all 
right  ? 

Vi.  Oh,  yes,  popper  fixed  it  up  somehow,  but 
mamma  naturally  had  hysterics,  which  was  most 
fortunate  in  the  end,  because  that's  why  we're 
here  at  all. 

[MRS.  JARS  brings  in  the  tea-tray  from  Right. 

GERALDINE.   Really! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Here's  the  tea ! 

Vi.   I'll  tell  you  when  we  get  the  tea. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     87 

[Poor  MRS.  JARS,  behind  a  large  trunk,  with  the 

big  silver  tray,  looks  hopeless. 
MRS.  JARS.   Please,  miss,  I  shall  never  be  able 
to  climb  up  with  this  — 

[Interrupted. 

GERALDINE.   Of    course    not!    Lord    Tilbury, 
would  you  please  go  over  and  relieve  Mrs.  Jars  ? 
TILBURY.  With  pleasure! 

[Going  very  carefully. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Do  you  want  any  help? 
TILBURY.   Oh,  no,  thanks,  it's  jolly,  we're  all 
right  now. 

[He  takes  the  tray. 
Vi.    Don't  drop  it ! 

TILBURY.  Rather  not.  [He  comes  very  slowly. 
He  stops.]  It's  very  odd  —  I  seem  to  feel  the 
motion  of  the  boat. 

[All  watch  with  suspense. 


88     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.    That's  awful! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Lots  of  people  do,  you  know, 
afterward. 

TILBURY.  I  wasn't  sick  a  little  bit  on  board, 
but  — 

[One  fool  slips  between  two  trunks  and  down  he 
falls,  and  over  go  the  tea-tray,  cups,  etc. 
Every  one  cries  out. 

GERALDINE.  [Rising.]  I  hope  you're  not 
hurt  I 

TILBURY.  [Climbing  up.]  Not  at  all,  thank  you, 
but  I  say  I  am  sorry  for  being  such  a  duffer !  The 
tea's  quite  gone. 

Vi.   I  didn't  want  any,  I've  just  had  some. 

MRS.  JARS.  I  can  soon  make  some  more, 
miss. 

GERALDINE.  Do.  [TILBURY  is  leaning  over, 
pic.king  up  the  debris.]  Don't  bother,  Lord  Tilbury, 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     89 

please;  Mrs.   Jars  can   do  without   them — can't 
you? 

MRS.  JARS.   Oh,  yes,  miss. 

[She  goes  out  Right, 

Vi.  [Yawning  violently.]  Everybody  please  ex- 
cuse me,  but  I  haven't  slept  a  wink  all  night,  and 
thereby  hangs  my  tale  as  to  our  present  address, 
which  I've  come  to  give  you. 

[They  all  struggle  with  yawns  as  they  watch  her, 
even  MRS.  JARS,  who  is  leaving  them. 

GERALDINE.  Do  tell  us ! 

Vi.  You  see,  yesterday,  our  last  day  out,  mamma 
and  popper  fought  like  sixty  over  where  we  were 
to  stay  here.  Popper  said  we  were  going  to  the 
Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  and  mamma  said  we  were 
going  to  the  Waldorf-Astoria.  Popper  said  he 
wouldn't  stay  a  day  in  that  damn-fool  hostelry, 
and  mamma  said  she  wouldn't  stay  a  minute  in 


90     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

the  Fifth  Avenue.  I  saw  myself  taking  the  through 
train  straight  to  Butte  City !  So  I  joined  in  and  said 
I  wouldn't  be  found  dead  in  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Hotel  —  and  then  we  had  it  hot  and  heavy !  We 
all  held  out,  too,  and  mamma  wouldn't  have  popper 
in  her  stateroom,  so  I  had  to  give  up  my  comfort- 
able room  by  myself  to  him  and  go  to  sleep  with  her 
in  the  upstairs  bunk.  It  just  spoiled  my  night's 
rest.  I've  been  terribly  dull  all  morning,  haven't 
I,  Lord  Tilbury? 

TILBURY.  I  beg  your  pardon? 

Vi.  [Laughing.]  Oh,  isn't  he  awful !  Just 
awful/  He  never  follows  you  through  a  whole 
speech !  Gets  stuck  somewhere  in  the  middle  — 
then  expects  you  to  go  all  over  it  again !  It's 
like  talking  to  a  deaf  person.  I  say,  haven't  I 
been  too  stupid  all  morning? 

TILBURY.   By  George,  no,  you've  been  rippin' ! 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE  91 

GERALDINE.  There,  Vi !  There's  good  for  evil 
for  you. 

Vi.  And  for  a  reward  I'll  let  him  go  home  in  a 
cab! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  But  you  haven't  told  us  where 
you  are  yet ! 

Vi.  Oh,  yes.  Well,  when  mamma  had  hysterics 
in  the  Custom  House,  of  course  that  settled  popper, 
and  we're  at  the  Waldorf-Astoria,  and  —  what's 
more  —  mamma  and  I  have  got  a  plan  to  stay  a 
month.  There'd  be  no  use  going  before  next  week, 
anyway,  because  everybody  comes  on  to  the  Waldorf 
from  Butte  City  for  the  Horse  Show. 

GERALDINE.  I'm  delighted  you  are  going  to 
stay.  We  must  see  much  of  each  other. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  And  I  hope  Geraldine  will 
bring  you  to  see  me.  And  I  shall  be  very  glad  to 
have  you  call,  too,  Lord  Tilbury. 


92     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

[TILBURY    and,   Vi    both   say,    "Thank   you." 

Vi.  [To  LORD  TILBURY.]  You  might  just  step 
out  and  see  if  there's  a  cab  anywhere  around. 

[TILBURY  makes  his  way  gingerly  toward  door 
Left. 

GERALDINE.  I'm  sorry  there  is  no  servant  to 
send,  but  Jars  has  gone  out. 

TILBURY.  Oh,  I  shall  manage  all  right,  thank 
you. 

Vi.  I  hope  you'll  manage  better  than  you  did 
with  the  tea !  Don't  spill  the  cab,  especially  if 
you're  in  it!  [He  laughs,  embarrassed,  and  goes 
out  Left.]  Isn't  he  sweet !  Oh,  I  think  he's  just 
too  sweet  for  anything !  My ! 

GERALDINE.  [Smiling.]  You've  quite  cut  me 
out! 

Vi.  Not  at  all.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  I  saw 
her  the  last  two  evenings  with  another  foreigner. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     93 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Really! 

[With  a  quizzing  glance  at  GERALDINE. 

Vi.  [To  GERALDINE.]  What  is  he?  I  suppose 
a  duke,  as  you  gave  up  a  lord  for  him ! 

GERALDINE.   Not  at  all,  he's  a  plain  "Mister." 

Vi.   Aren't  you  funny! 

GERALDINE.  And  what  about  the  Doctor, 
please?  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  She  WAS  mad 
about  the  Doctor. 

Vi.  He's  coming  to  luncheon  to-morrow !  I'm 
just  dying  to  see  him  in  his  store  clothes,  without 
brass  buttons,  —  I'm  just  dying! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [To  Vi.]  You  must  be  pre- 
pared for  a  slight  disappointment. 

Vi.   [Laughing.]   Oh,  well,  I've  still  got  Lord 

Tilbury!! 

[Bell  rings. 

GERALDINE.  That's  he,  I'll  let  him  in.  [Makes 
her  way  to  door  and  opens  it.]  Come  in. 


94     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.  I  have  the  cab. 

Vi.  All  right,  but  to-morrow  you'll  have  to  ride 
on  the  elevated,. 

[She  rises. 

GERALDINE.  Won't  you  wait  for  the  tea? 

Vi.  No,  I  must  go,  I  only  came  to  tell  you  our 
address.  Good-by.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  I 
should  love  to  come  and  see  you. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  It  will  give  me  much  plea- 
sure. 

Vi.  [To  GERALDINE,  kissing  her.]  Only  a  "Mis- 
ter!" I  don't  believe  you! 

[She  goes  out. 

[TILBURY  has  bowed  good-by  to  MRS.  WRIGHTON 
and  goes  to  GERALDINE  as  Vi  leaves. 

GERALDINE.   How's  Rosy? 

TILBURY.  I  say!  have  you  noticed  how  very 
remarkably  like  Rosy  Miss  Tompson  is?! 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     95 

GERALDINE.  [Laughs.]  O  dear  me!  But  you 
know  I  don't  remember  Miss  Boggs! 

TILBURY.   It's  a  pity,  she's  rippin' ! 

Vi.    [Calls  from  outside.]   Come  along ! 

GERALDINE.  Good-by !  You're  going  to  have 
a  very  good  time  here !  You'll  find  New  York 
full  of  Rosys !  Come  and  see  me ! 

TILBURY.  With  pleasure ! 

[He  bows  and  goes  out. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  My  dear,  what  an  amusing 
young  couple ! 

GERALDINE.   And  I  believe  I've  made  a  match ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  You  know,  my  child,  you're 
rather  young  to  be  making  matches;  there's  a 
responsibility  about  it  better  suited  to  us  older 
women ! — even  for  yourself.  Remember,  you  said 
I  might  be  your  second  mother. 

GERALDINE.   You're  worrying  about  Mr.  Carl- 


96     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD INE 

man,  and  before  you've  met  him.    Wait!    You 
won't  be  able  to  resist  him. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Mercy  on  us,  I  hope  I  will  be ! 
I'm  a  most  happy  married  woman ! 

GERALDINE.  [Laughing.]  You  know  what  I 
mean! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  know  one  thing  you  mean, 
and  that  is,  young  lady,  to  have  your  own  way  in 
this  world  when  once  you've  made  up  your  mind 
it's  the  right  way !  Do  I  read  you  wrong  ? 

GERALDINE.  No.  Bravo !  I  was  considered 
the  stubbornest  little  girl  in  the  whole  English 
colony  at  Stuttgart. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  But  you  are  open  to  persua- 
sion if  your  way  should  be  wrong? 

GERALDINE.  Yes,  if  it  were  proved  to  be 
wrong ! 

[The  front  door-bell  rings  twice. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE  97 

GERALDINE.   Perhaps  that's  he! 
MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  know  it  is ;  he  always  rings 
twice ! 

GERALDINE.  Who? 
MRS.  WRIGHTON.   My  husband. 
GERALDINE.   Oh,  I  meant  — 
MRS.  WRIGHTON.   [Interrupting.]    I  know  you 
did;   but  I  didn't. 

[Smiling. 

[MRS.  JARS  enters  Right. 

MRS.  JARS.   [In  distress.]    Here's  the  tea,  miss, 
but  I  don't  see  how  I  can,  and  Jars  isn't  back  yet. 
[She  places  the  tray  on  a  trunk. 
MRS.  WRIGHTON.   That's  all  right,  Mrs.  Jars. 
[To  GERALDINE.]  Let  me  open  it,  I  know  it's 
Dick. 
MRS.  JARS.   Thank  you,  ma'am. 

[She  goes  out  Right. 


98     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [As  she  climbs.]  I'm  glad 
your  Hungarian  hasn't  come  yet.  This  is  when  I 
am  not  so  sure  of  my  grace  and  agility  as  I  am  of 
my  age !  Dick  will  get  some  men  to  come  in  if 
Jars  can't  find  any.  [Opens  door.]  Come  in, 
darling  1 

[WRIGHTON  enters  from  left.  He  is  a  good-look- 
ing man  of  fifty;  a  man  of  the  world  and 
of  business,  with  nothing  unusual  about 
him. 

WRIGHTON.   Halloo!    Here  all  right,  are  you? 

MRS.   WRIGHTON.     [To  GERALDINE.]    Excuse 

me!    [Kisses    him.]    I  haven't    seen    him    since 

this    morning    when    he    went    down    to    meet 

you! 

GERALDINE.  I  don't  know  what  we  would  have 
done  without  him.  Do  sit  down. 

[Laughing. 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     99 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  The  express  men  wouldn't 
carry  up  the  luggage! 

WRIGHTON.   I'll  go  get  some  men. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Not  yet.  Jars  is  out  look- 
ing. 

GERALDINE.  [Moving  over  gingerly  to  the  tea 
things.]  Have  some  tea? 

WRIGHTON.   Not  for  me,  thank  you. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  will!  I  find  that  the  air 
up  here  on  Cathedral  Heights  has  made  me 
hungry. 

WRIGHTON.  I'm  sorry  to  say  I've  come  to  bother 
Fraulein  Handt. 

GERALDINE.  Oh,  I'll  call  her.  [She  gives  MRS. 
WRIGHTON  her  tea  and  goes  upstairs.  She  stops 
on  the  landing.]  These  lovely  roses,  I  know  YOU 
sent  them! 

[To  MRS.  WRIGHTON. 


ioo     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  If  I'd  known  better,  I'd  have 
sent  white  ones ! 

GERALDINE.  [Smiling,  happy.]  Oh! — Sh!!  — 
[She  goes  up  the  stairs  and  out  Right. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Isn't  she  a  perfect  dear ! 

WRIGHTON.  She  is  a  charming  girl !  And  now, 
for  Heaven's  sake,  Janet,  don't  move  heaven  and 
earth  to  marry  her  off  for  a  year  or  two  yet ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  You  don't  know  her;  she's 
begun  to  move  both  those  places  herself !  I'll  ex- 
plain later  when  there's  plenty  of  time.  But  tell 
me,  am  I  right  in  thinking  the  name  Count  Kinsey 
familiar  to  me? 

WRIGHTON.  I'm  sure  I  don't  know. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   In  the  Herald  last  week? 

WRIGHTON.  [A  second's  pause.]  Oh,  yes,  I 
remember  now.  They  were  talking  about  it  in 
the  club,  —  he's  come  over  here  incog.  Kinsey 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     101 

was  the  fellow  who  broke  Hayward's  sister's  heart. 
Don't  you  remember  the  scandal  several  years 
ago  in  London  ?  He  was  secretary  to  the  Austrian 
Embassy.  The  girl  killed  herself,  and  he  was 
dismissed  from  the  service. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  It's  the  same  man!  It 
must  be  the  same! 

WRIGHTON.  Who? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  A  Hungarian  who  was  on  the 
boat  under  an  assumed  name,  but  whom  Fraulein 
recognized  as  Count  Kinsey,  and  in  whom 
Geraldine  is  already  very  interested! 

WRIGHTON.  Oh,  there's  more  than  one  Kinsey 
in  Hungary. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   But  the  assumed  name? 

WRIGHTON.   [More  thoughtfully.]  Yes,  —  bad. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  And  this  one  WAS  secretary 
in  the  Austro-Hungarian  Embassy.  Fraulein 


102     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

was    governess   there;    that's    where    she    knew 
him! 

WRIGHTON.  Oh!  then  it's  serious,  and  we'd 
better  look  into  it. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  But  the  girl's  very  stubborn, 
and  is  on  the  defensive.  We  must  be  —  careful. 
She  expects  him  here  to-day.  [GERALDINE  and 
FRAULEIN  appear  on  landing  and  come  downstairs. 
MRS.  WRIGHTON  finishes  very  sotto  voce.]  I'm 
going  to  stay  on  till  he  arrives,  and  be  as  charming 
as  possible,  to  disarm  him,  and  her. 

GERALDINE.  [Coming  down  the  stairs.]  You 
are  talking  about  me  or  making  love! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  When  I  talk  to  my  husband 
about  anybody  or  anything,  I  always  make  love 
to  him,  I  can't  help  it. 

[With  an  affectionate  look  at  him. 

WRIGHTON.  Fraulein,  —  your  dog ! 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD  IN E     103 

FRAULEIN.  [Horrified.]  Mein  Gott!!  I  forgot 
her!  MyleettleWilhelm! 

GERALDINE.  Her  "little  Wilhelm"  is  a  fat  old 
Dachshund  named  after  the  Emperor,  whom 
Fraulein  adores. 

WRIGHTON.  You'll  have  to  go  back  with  me; 
the  custom  officers  wouldn't  let  me  take  him. 

FRAULEIN.  Oh,  my  poor  little  Villie!  I  vas 
ready ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I'll  join  you  at  home,  dear,  — 
I  may  leave  here  soon,  and  maybe  not  for  some 
time. 

WRIGHTON.  Very  well ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [To  the  others.]  You'll  excuse 
me!  [Kisses  him.]  You  see  I  mayn't  be  home  for 
hours  yet ! 

WRIGHTON.  You  wouldn't  think  we'd  been 
married  sixteen  years,  would  you? 


104     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  Yes,    I    would!    That's    what   I 
call    being    married ! 

WRIGHTON.   [Opens  front  door  and  half  bows.] 
Fraulein ! 

[FRAULEIN  passes  out,  and  WRIGHTON  is  about 
to  follow,  but  stops,  saying  to  KINSEY  outside, 
"Excuse  me!"  He  then  turns  inside  and 
speaks  to  GERALDINE. 

A    gentleman,  Miss   Lang.      [To  KINSEY,    who 
has  spoken.]      I  beg  your  pardon ! 

[GERALDINE  has  risen  excitedly  and  holds  MRS. 

WRIGHTON'S  hand. 

GERALDINE.    It's  he  —     Oh,  I  want  you  to  like 
him. 

WRIGHTON.  [Turning  to  GERALDINE.]  Mr.  Carl- 
man. 

GERALDINE.   Please  ask  him  to  come  in. 
WRIGHTON.  Won't  you  come  in? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    105 

[As  KINSEY  enters  Left,  WRIGHTON    goes    out 
Left  and  closes  the  door  behind  him. 

GERALDINE.  So  glad  to  see  you,  and  I  want  to 
present  you  to  Mrs.  Wrighton  —  Herr  Carlman. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Herr  Carlman. 

[Bowing  very  pleasantly. 

KINSEY.  [Embarrassed,  bows  stiffly.]  Enchante 
de  faire  votre  connaissance,  madame. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Bows  charmingly,  then  to 
GERALDINE.]  Horrors!  doesn't  he  speak  English? 

KINSEY.  [Laughs.]  I  beg  your  pardon.  I  vas 
one  minute  —  [He  hesitates.]  —  I  tink  ze  word  — 
embrassed !  —  ?  — 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   I  speak  French  so  shockingly ! 

GERALDINE.   Can  you  climb? 

KINSEY.   Oh,  yess ! 

[He  jumps  up  on  the  trunks. 

GERALDINE.   Have  you  settled  your  rooms? 


io6     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.  Yess,  it  iss  not  much  —  [He  hesitates, 
hunting  for  the  word.]  —  fashiona&le —  but  it  is 
among  with  my  countrymen  in  ze  University  place ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   And  how  do  you  like  America  ? 

KINSEY.   [Laughing.]  I  do  not  know  now  yet ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Laughing.]  There's  an 
honest  answer ! 

KINSEY.  But  I  do  like,  oh !  very  much,  ze 
Americans ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   You  have  known  many? 

KINSEY.  Oh,  yess !  in  London,  in  Paris,  in 
Vienna,  ant  also  in  Budapesth. 

GERALDINE.  Will  you  have  some  tea? 

KINSEY.   No,  I  tank  you. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   And  I'm  afraid  I  must  go. 

GERALDINE.  No !    Don't ! 

KINSEY.  I  hope  I  'af e  not  frighten  you  off  avay ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Oh,  no !    It  takes  more  than 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     107 

one  charming  foreigner  to  frighten  an  AMERICAN 
•woman  ! 

KINSEY.  [Bows.]  Madame !  You  are  so  quick 
ant  so  clever,  also  I  am  so  stupid  I  cannot  back 
reply  make,  I  can  only  very  much  —  I  tink  ze  word 

—  ADMIRE  ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Thank  you,  a  charming  word ! 
Will  you  lunch  with  me  to-morrow,  Sunday, 
at  two?  And,  G^eraldine,  you'll  come,  it's  for 
YOU.  I'm  having  the  lunch  on  a  Sunday  so  as  to 
have  plenty  of  real  men  ! 

GERALDINE.    Of  course  I  will  come. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  And  you  Count  —  Mr.  Carl- 
man? 

[KINSEY  has  started  violently. 

GERALDINE.   {Curiously.}   Count? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Laughing  nervously.}  Oh  — 
I  always  call  all  foreigners  Count,  a  silly  habit,  but 


io8     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

there  are  so  many  of  you  all,  you  know !    You'll 
come  to  lunch,  won't  you,  Mr.  Carlman? 

KINSEY.    [Relieved.]  I  vill  be  most  delight. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Good-by. 

[To  GERALDINE. 
[KINSEY  goes  to  door  to  open  for  her. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Aside  to  GERALDINE.]  He's 
perfectly  charming.  I'm  going  to  give  him  one  of 
your  red  roses  for  his  button-hole. 

GERALDINE.   [Laughing.]  You  FLIRT!!  — 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Good-by.  [Takes  a  red  rose 
and  goes  to  doorway.]  You  must  let  me  welcome 
you  to  America  with  a  native  rose !  —  for  your 
button-hole. 

[Putting  it  in  his  coat. 

GERALDINE.   7  prefer  white ! 

KINSEY.  Madame,  I  tank  you  for  ze  rose  ant 
ze  welcome ;  bose  I  vill  keep  by  me  always. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     109 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Who  wants  KINSEY  to  leave 
at  the  same  time.]  Can  I  drop  you  anywhere? 

KINSEY.  [Astonished,  not  understanding.]  DROP 
me?!! 

GERALDINE.  [Laughing.]  She  means  her 
brougham  is  at  the  door,  and  she  will  leave  you 
where  you  want  to  go. 

KINSEY.  Oh !  I  tank  you,  but  I  have  one  few 
words  to  speak  wiz  Meess  Lang,  if  she  vill  allow 
me! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Sorry!    Good-by. 

[At  door. 

GERALDINE.  Good-by.  [MRS.  WRIGHTON  goes. 
KINSEY  bows  very  low  and  shuts  the  door.  To 
KINSEY.]  Isn't  she  a  darling  woman ! 

KINSEY.  She  iss,  and  hafe  decided  me !  I  make 
me  one  American  citizen  just  so  soon  as  ze  President 
permit.  I  nefer  go  back. 


I io     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.   Hurrah! 

KINSEY.  I  hafe  by  me  one  very  good  idea !  I 
already  talk  it  over  wiz  a  gentleman  in  ze  boat. 
I  vill  me  get  up  a  company  ant  put  mine  vines  — 
Hungarian  vines  —  on  ze  market  in  New  York. 
Zey  are  not  sufficient  known  here,  it  vill  be  great 
successful  wit  much  money. 

GERALDINE.  And  much  money  is  very  con- 
venient !  — 

KINSEY.  Oh,  very.  It  means  —  entire — every- 
ting  to  me. 

GERALDINE.   No,  don't  say  that. 

KINSEY.  I  do  not  mean  it  bad!  [He  sighs.] 
I  'afe  come  to  say  how  you  do  an'  good-by. 

GERALDINE.  You  are  going  to  leave  New 
York? 

KINSEY.  No !  I  stay  me  in  ze  New  York.  It 
iss  here  I  must  form  ze  company,  to  whom  I  vill 


THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALD INE  in 

—  how  zey  say  it  ?  —  farm  out  all  ze  vineyards 
of  mine  home.  I  take  me  so  many  shares,  zey  take 
zem  so  many.  Oh,  it  iss  a  very  good  plan,  because 
now  all  ze  grape  all  go  to  ze  bad,  an'  ze  vine,  ve 
do  not  know  vat  to  do  viz  it !  There  iss  so  much 
grape  at  my  home! 

GERALDINE.   Well,  it  seems  to   me  everything 
is  very  flourishing,  and  I'm  ever  so  glad ! 

KINSEY.   Yess!  —  but —  only —   [Plaintively.] 
I  must  stay  me  avay  from  here. 

GERALDINE.   Why?    I  don't  see  why? 

KINSEY.   No?    And    I    cannot    try    to    make 
explanation. 

GERALDINE.   Why  not? 

KINSEY.  I  cannot.     Oh !   [Angry.]  ze  word !  — 
'afe  —  confidence?  —  in  myself.         • 

GERALDINE.   But  you  didn't  talk  to  me  like 
this  on  the  boat! 


112       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.   I  know  it  —  I  did  not  altogezer  know 
zen  how  much  —  vhat  — 

[He  hesitates. 

GERALDINE.  What? 

KINSEY.   If  you  look  so  at  me  like  zat  much 
longer,  I  break  me  my  svear. 

GERALDINE.   [Smiling.]  What  swear? 

KINSEY.    I   cannot    help    myself,  I  vill  break 
him ! 

GERALDINE.  Yes,  DO  !    Break  him  I 

KINSEY.  I  am  sure  I  am  — 

[He  hesitates. 

GERALDINE.   [Smiling.]  You  think  the  word ! 

KINSEY.   [Smiling.]  Yes,  tank  you,  —  a  black- 
guard! 

GERALDINE.   Oh,  think    again!     I   could  do 
much  better  than  that! 

KINSEY.   How  do  you  say  ein  blackguard  ? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE       113 

GERALDINE.  That's  right  —  blackguard,  only 
it's  wrong! 

KINSEY.  I  vill  myself  explain.  [Speaks  with 
great  hesitation  and  difficulty.]  I  'afe  swore  zat  I 
would  not  —  zat  I  would  not  do  someting  because 
it  vas  not  right  I  do  it.  It  iss  very  wrong,  because 
I  cannot  say  it  all,  I  cannot  say  enough. 

GERALDINE.  [Smiling.]  Maybe  you  call  this 
an  explanation,  but  I  assure  you  7  don't  under- 
stand a  word ! 

KINSEY.  I  mean  to  say  I  vould  not  be  honour- 
able under  ze —  [He  thinks.] —  circumztances,  to 
say  it  all !  I  can  only  say  so  much  7  loaf  you  ! 

[She  is  startled,  surprised  at  the  sudden  avowal. 
She  looks  up  at  him  a  moment  in  silence,  then 
her  eyes  drop. 

GERALDINE.  [Very  softly,  tenderly,  and  yet  with 
a  half  smile.}  Isn't  that  saying  a  good  deal? 


114       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.   [With  real  contrition.]  I  'afe  broke  me 
mine  oath. 

GERALDINE.   [Looking  up  at  him  seriously  and 
sweetly.]   But  if  you  really  DO  love  me?  .   .  . 

KINSEY.   [Rising.]  Wiz  all  mine  heart,  wiz  all 
mine  life ! 

GERALDINE.  Then  why  not  tell  me  —  when  I 
am  glad  to  hear  it  ? 

KINSEY.  You  vas  GLAD?! 

GERALDINE.    Very  glad. 

KINSEY.    [Quickly  taking  her  hand.]       You  — 
you  care  for  me  now  already,  a  leettle  ? !  — 

GERALDINE.   [Rises.]  I  care  for  you  now  already 
—  very  much. 

[A  second's  pause. 

[KLNSEY  seizes  her  hand  and  kisses  it. 
In  America  that  is  not  the  custom!  [He 
looks  in  her  eyes,  and  slowly  draws  her  to 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD INE       115 

him,  takes  her,  willing,  in  his  arms,  and  kisses 
her.  She  withdraws  from  his  arms.]  And 
now,  why  didn't  you  want  to  tell  me  you 
loved  me,  —  I  wore  your  roses  every  day,  I  gave 
you  every  minute  of  my  time  you  asked  for, 
and  though  I  tried  to  lie  with  my  eyes,  I  know 
the  truth  would  out  in  them  sometimes.  I  felt  it 
burn  and  shut  my  lids. 

KJNSEY.  [With  dignity,  slowly  but  with  despera- 
tion.] I  cannot  ask  you  to  be  mine  vife. 

GERALDINE.  [Startled,  drawing  slightly  away, 
in  a  faint  -voice.]  What?!  .  .  . 

KINSEY.  Not  for  so  long  time,  I  do  not  know 
vhen.  —  Perhaps  nefer ! 

GERALDINE.   What  do  you  mean? 

KINSEY.  And  yet  also  you  are  all  ze  vorld  to  me ; 
it  iss  not  only  ze  words  vhen  I  say  I  vould  glad  lie 
down  mine  life  for  you !  I  loaf  you  — 


Ii6     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  But  if  you  love  me  —  why  ?  Why 
can't  you  — 

[She  hesitates. 

KINSEY.  [Searches  for  words  to  express  himself. ] 
It  would  not  be, — how  do  one  say  it?  —  not  manly 
off  me,  —  not  —  honour. 

GERALDINE.   Not  honour? 

KINSEY.  I  iss  not  free. 

GERALDINE.  Not  free ! 

KINSEY.  I  speak  ze  English  so  badly,  —  I  am 
—  bind  —  bound  by  —  vhat  you  call  ?  —  ze  laws 
of  honour  — 

[Interrupted. 

GERALDINE.   NOT  to  ask  me  to  be  your  wife  ? 

KINSEY.  Yess,  I  cannot  I  Eferybody  vill  DESPISE 
me  ven  I  did !  — 

GERALDINE.  [Quickly.]  Then  how  dared  you 
tell  me  you  loved  me !  How  dared  you  allow  me 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     117 

to  say  —  I  —  [Louder.]  Oh,  how  dared  you !  how 
dared  you ! 

KINSEY.  I  mean  not  to,  I  svore  myself  not 
to,  —  but  I  could  not  help  it,  I  could  not  hold  ze 
loaf  back! 

GERALDINE.  [Angry.]  I  will  never  forgive  you ! 
I  will  never  FORGIVE  you  ! ! 

KINSEY.  You  tink  me  right  now,  vhen  I  have 
chose  ze  word  blackguard? 

GERALDINE.  Yes!  Good-by.  There  is  your 
rose !  [Throwing  it  down.]  Dead !  like  everything 
else  between  you  and  me,  Herr  Carlman. 

KINSEY.  Vhen  I  vas  free  I  vill  come  back  wiz  a 
fresh  rose  an'  ask  you  to  be  mine  VIFE. 

GERALDINE.   I  will  never  forgive  you ! 

KINSEY.  Yes,  pecause  you  loaf  me,  and  I  loaf 
you,  and  vhen  I  come  honourable  back,  so  your 
heart  hafe  remain  true. 


Il8     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  I  haven't  any  heart  any  longer. 

[JARS  enters  Left. 

JARS.   Beg  pardon,  miss,  the  men  are  here  to 
carry  up  the  trunks. 

GERALDINE.  In   a    moment,  Jars;    the    door, 
please.    This  gentleman  is  going. 

[JARS  opens  the  front  door. 
[KiNSEY  looks  at  her  reproachfully.    A   pause. 
GERALDINE.   Good-by,  Herr  Carlman. 
KINSEY.  I  vill  me  come  back  one  day. 

[He  bows  and  goes  out. 
[JARS  shuts  the  door. 

GERALDINE.   I  am  not  at  home  if  that  gentleman 
calls  again. 

JARS.    Yes,  miss. 

[He  goes  out  Right. 

[GERALDINE    has   started  slowly   upstairs;  she 
stops  to  watch  JARS,  and  when  he  has  gone  she 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    119 

runs  downstairs  and  picks  up  the  -white  rose 
she  threw  away,  glancing  about  to  see  that 
no  one  sees  her. 

GERALDINE.  And  to-day,  too!  To-day  of  all 
days,  when  I  was  so  happy,  and  now — it's  all  gone  ! 
Everything ! !  EVERYTHING  !  Oh,  why  did  I  come 
back  home ! 

[She  throws  herself  down  on  the  stairs  and  sobs  as 

THE  CURTAIN  FALLS 


ACT  III 

A  fortnight  later,  at  the  Wrightons'.  A  drawing- 
room  panelled  in  rose  du  Barry  brocade  •  only 
eighteenth-century  engravings  are  on  the  wall,  and 
the  furniture  is  a  suite,  covered  with  Gobelin  tap- 
estry; there  are  some  small  marqueterie  tables  here 
and  there.  There  is  an  opening  at  the  back  into  a 
farther  room,  through  which  entrances  and  exits 
are  made.  There  is  also  a  double  door  Left, 
•which  leads  to  the  hall.  At  Right  is  the  fireplace, 
with  sofa  and  chairs  by  it.  MRS.  WRIGHTON  is 
arranging  a  table  for  bridge  whist  at  Left  centre. 
SERVANT.  [From  Left,  announces.]  Miss 

Lang. 

[Geraldine  enters.    She  wears  a  white  rose. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     121 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Greeting  her  affectionately.] 
My  dear  child,  I'm  delighted.  But  you're  awfully 
early,  the  class  isn't  for  half  an  hour ! 

GERALDINE.  [Who  is  very  serious.]  I've  come 
to  see  you  about  something  else. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Seeing  the  white  rose,  is  not 
pleased.]  He  has  turned  up  again?  Geral- 
dine! 

[Remonstrating,  and  yet  with  sympathy  and  un- 
derstanding. 

GERALDINE.  [Firmly,  coming  at  once  to  the 
point.]  I  want  his  address. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  don't  know  it. 

GERALDINE.  The  letter  of  regrets  he  wrote  you 
for  Sunday's  lunch  had  no  address? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  No,  a  most  charming  note  in 
French,  saying  he  regretted  not  being  able  to 
come,  but  found  he  must  deny  himself,  for  the 


122     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

present,  all  society  in  America.  Suspicious,  my 
dear.  Believe  a  wise  old  woman  that  you've  had  a 
narrow  escape. 

GERALDINE.  I  can't!  I  tell  you  I  wasn't  fair 
to  him  that  afternoon;  I  ought  to  have  kept  still 
and  let  him  explain  more  what  he  really  meant. 
His  English  is  bad,  and  he  doesn't  understand 
clearly.  He  may  not  have  really  meant  what  he 
said. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  He  said,  I  think  you  told  me, 
he  was  "not  free  to  ask  you  to  be  his  wife"? 

GERALDINE.   [Unwillingly.]  Yes.  .  .  . 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  That  he  was  honourably 
bound  not  to  — 

GERALDINE.  Yes  — but  it  may  be  some  exagger- 
ated notion  of  honour, — you  know  what  foreigners 
are  like,  —  or  the  words  "not  free"  and  "bound" 
he  may  have  translated  wrongly.  I  want  to  have 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     123 

you  see  him,  and  give  him  a  chance  to  explain. 
Would  you  do  this  for  me,  dear  Aunt  Janet  ? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  What  you  ask  is  what  I've 
been  trying  to  do  for  the  last  day  and  a  half,  but 
neither  Dick  nor  I  can  find  the  man ! 

GERALDINE.   How  good  of  you! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Not  that  I've  much  hope, 
dear.  I  might  as  well  warn  you. 

GERALDINE.  You  know  something  about  him 
which  I  don't,  and  which  you  haven't  told  me! 
I've  seen  it  in  your  face. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  do  —  and  I  don't. 

GERALDINE.  What? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  can't  tell,  it  isn't  my  secret. 
We're  going  to  try  and  make  him  tell  us  him- 
self. 

[WRIGHTON  comes  in  quickly  from  Left  with  a 
certain  glad  excitement. 


124     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

WRIGHTON.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  My  dear 
girl,  I've  found  him. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Going  to  her  husband.] 
Geraldine,  you'll  excuse  me !  It's  for  your  sake,  it's 
for  what  he's  done  for  you. 

[She  kisses  him. 

GERALDINE.   [Smiling.]  You  fraud/ 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [To  GERALDINE.]  No!  [To 
WRIGHTON.]  It's  Mr.  Carlman  you  mean,  isn't 
it? 

GERALDINE.  Mr.  Carlman! 

WRIGHTON.  Yes! 

GERALDINE.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  Pd  like 
to  kiss  him,  too! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Smilingly  hesitates.]  Well, 
you  may  this  once,  but  don't  let  it  grow  on  you ! 

GERALDINE.  Thank  you ! 

[Shaking   hands  with  WRIGHTON,  who  kisses 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     125 

her    humorously,  with   great    dignity,  on   the 
cheek. 

MRS.   WRIGHTON.  Yes  —  always  like  that ! ! 

GERALDINE.  [To  WRIGHTON.]  And  having 
found  him,  we'll  give  him  a  chance  to  right  him- 
self, won't  we?  A  fair  chance! 

WRIGHTON.  If  you  want  my  honest  opinion,  I 
think  he's  a  perfectly  charming,  unconscionable 
scamp;  but  we'll  find  out.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.] 
He's  coming  to  see  you  this  afternoon. 

GERALDINE.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  Your 
chance ! 

WRIGHTON.  He's  furious  with  me !  Sit  down  a 
moment.  [GERALDINE  sits,  as  does  WRIGHTON.] 
He  actually  came  to  my  office. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  He  knew  you  were  my  hus- 
band? 

[Sitting. 


126     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

WRIGHTON.  Not  at  all !  He  brought  me  a  letter 
from  Mathewson,  about  a  wine  company.  He's 
forming  a  syndicate  to  put  Hungarian  wines  on 
the  market. 

GERALDINE.   He  told  me  about  it. 

WRIGHTON.  He's  been  clever ;  he's  found  exactly 
the  right  men  to  interest  in  the  scheme,  —  and  he 
has  interested  them.  It  seems  they  only  need  me 
now  to  complete  the  company! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Why  especially  you? 

WRIGHTON.  [To  GERALDINE.]  My  business  is 
the  importation  of  French  wines.  [To  MRS. 
WRIGHTON.]  If  I  am  in  the  new  company,  they 
have  the  biggest  French  wine  company  as  a 
friendly  rival  instead  of  an  enemy. 

GERALDINE.  But  why  is  he  angry  with 
you? 

WRIGHTON.  Well,   in    the  first    place,  I    told 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     127 

him  at  once  that  I  knew  of  him  through  my 
wife. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  And  embarrassed  him  a 
little. 

WRIGHTON.  And  then  I  went  it  rather  strong, 
perhaps,  and  said  I  had  every  reason  to  believe 
he  wasn't  what  he  appeared  to  be,  and  that  I 
should  warn  my  friends  who  were  thinking  of 
joining  the  company. 

GERALDINE.   Oh,  Mr.  Wrighton! 

WRIGHTON.  My  dear  girl  —  [Rises.] — he  hasn't 
a  penny.  He  is  to  own  a  certain  number  of  shares 
in  the  company,  and  we  are  to  work  the  vines  over 
there  in  Hungary  and  own  the  rest  of  the  shares. 
But  where  is  the  proof  of  these  vines?  His  word ! 
to  be  backed  up  by  the  proper  papers,  et  cetera,  he 
has  sent  for. 

MRS.   WRIGHTON.  You  do  nothing  with  the 


128     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

company   till    these   papers   arrive,    so    I    don't 
see  — 

[Interrupted. 

WRIGHTON.  [Interrupting.]  Suppose  they  never 
arrive  ? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  He's  discovered  and  no  harm 
done. 

WRIGHTON.  There  can  be  all  sorts  of  delays, 
and  he  may  have  confederates  writing  from 
Hungary.  How  do  we  know?  And  meanwhile, 
what?  He  is  getting  an  entre  into  our  homes! 
Doing  the  same  here,  perhaps,  as  he  did  in  London. 

GERALDINE.  [Quickly.]  What  did  he  do  in 
London  ? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Quickly.]  Nothing,  dear,  that 
we're  sure  of. 

GERALDINE.  But  tell  me ;  you  must  I  — 

[Interrupted. 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     129 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  No!  it  is  not  our  secret  yet; 
when  it  is,  you  shall  know  the  truth  for  good  or 
ill. 

WRIGHTON.  He  looks  rather  raggy,  in  spite  of 
his  smart  clothes.  His  cuffs  showed  it.  Of  course 
he  was  after  Geraldine's  money  —  and  if  Geral- 
dine's  is  impossible,  then  the  next  girl's  — 

GERALDINE.   No,  you  don't  know  that! 

WRIGHTON.  If  he  is  honest,  why  isn't  his  consul 
backing  him  up? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  That's  so ! 

[Looking  at  GERALDINE. 

WRIGHTON.  I  asked  him  about  his  consul. 

GERALDINE.  Yes? 

WRIGHTON.  He  said  he  didn't  know  him,  and 
that  the  consul  wouldn't  know  his  name.  And 
yet,  you  know,  the  man  has  such  a  winning  way 
with  him,  if  I  didn't  really  know  all  I  did,  why,  by 


130     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

George,  I  should  have  been  weaker  than  I 
was. 

GERALDINE.  I  wish  you  had  been!  I  see 
nothing  in  all  you've  said  that  may  not  be  per- 
fectly honest  and  above  board,  and  I  was  always 
told  that  a  man  in  this  country  was  innocent  till 
proved  guilty. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Dear  me,  if  that  isn't  like  a 
girl !  It  will  be  our  fault  next  that  she  drove  him 
away  from  her  house. 

WRIGHTON.  Well,  next  I  played  a  strong  card, 
in  hopes  it  would  make  him  show  his  hand.  I 
told  him  frankly  I  thought  him  a  charlatan ! 

GERALDINE.   Oh,  how  could  you? 

WRIGHTON.  I  told  him  I  knew  of  his  behaviour 
to  Miss  Lang,  which  nothing  could  excuse. 

GERALDINE.  Oh,  he  will  think  I  have  told  every- 
thing !  What  did  he  say  ? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     131 

WRIGHTON.   Nothing. 

GERALDINE.   Nothing  ? 

WRIGHTON.   That  was  his  principal  reply  to  me ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  How  do  you  mean? 

WRIGHTON.  I  didn't  mince  matters.  I  told 
him  I  doubted  his  vineyards  —  that  I  should  warn 
my  friends  in  his  company,  and  would  not  join  it 
myself.  I  told  him  I  had  reason  to  believe  he 
was  under  an  assumed  name,  and  I  had  a  suspicion 
as  to  who  he  really  was. 

GERALDINE.   What  answer  did  he  make? 

WRIGHTON.   None ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Dick!  !  ! 

WRIGHTON.  He  drew  himself  up  till  it  seemed 
as  if  he  were  nine  feet  and  I  three,  and  said  I  had 
insulted  him,  that  he  didn't  come  to  discuss  his 
private  affairs  with  me,  but  only  a  matter  of  busi- 
ness, and  he  would  bid  me  good  morning. 


132     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  And  you  let  him  go? 

WRIGHTON.  No! 

GERALDINE.   Ah ! 

WRIGHTON.  I  stopped  him — at  the  door.  I 
said,  "  If  you  have  the  right  to  resent  strongly  all  I 
have  said,  no  one  will  be  more  glad  than  I !  and  my 
apology  shall  be  abject." 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   That  was  nice,  Dick. 

WRIGHTON.  He  didn't  seem  to  understand;  he 
was  still  in  too  much  of  a  rage,  poor  fellow !  You 
know  I  can't  help  liking  him,  in  spite  of  his 
being  — 

GERALDINE.  [Interrupting  him.]  Hush !  You 
don't  know  what  he  is  yet. 

WRIGHTON.  I  said  the  matter  of  the  company 
would  naturally  hold  over  till  the  arrival  of  his 
papers,  and  he  said  within  three  weeks. 

GERALDINE.   But  how  is  it  he's  coming  here  ? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     133 

WRIGHTON.  Oh,  I  was  weakening  a  little  then, 
and  I  said,  as  to  the  other  matter,  would  he  be  so 
good  as  to  call  upon  my  wife  this  afternoon  ? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  And  he  agreed? 

WRIGHTON.  No,  he  refused.  Then  I  took  your 
name  in  vain  [To  GERALDINE.]  and  said  it  was, 
I  knew,  your  desire. 

GERALDINE.  Yes  ? ! 

WRIGHTON.  He  bowed  and  said  he  would  be 
here  at  five!  That's  all!  [Rising.]  You  know 
now  I'm  away  from  him  I  realize  he  must  be  a 
scamp  ;  but  be  careful,  Janet,  when  you're  with 
him  —  there's  no  doubt  he  is  full  of  charm ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  know  that.  [During  this 
last  speech  a  SERVANT  has  been  arranging  a 
tea-table  in  the  farther  room.  MRS.  WRIGHTON  sees 
him.]  What  are  you  doing,  Thornton? 

THORNTON.   Laying  the  tea-table,  madam. 


134     THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  But  why  ?  We  don't  take  tea 
with  our  cards. 

THORNTON.  Excuse  me,  madam,  but  it's  Thurs- 
day. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh,  of  course,  so  it  is;  I 
forgot.  [To  WRIGHTON.]  I  had  the  bridge-whist 
class  meet  here  on  my  day  at  home  so  as  not  to 
waste  the  afternoon ! 

GERALDINE.  But  how  will  you  see  Herr  Carl- 
man? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh,  I  must  just  get  rid  of 
the  people  somehow.  I'll  do  it. 

WRIGHTON.  Well,  I'm  going  over  to  the  club. 
I  hope  you're  satisfied  with  my  day's  work. 

GERALDINE.  7  am,  and  I  thank  you,  only 
please  don't  side  too  quickly  against  him;  let's 
give  him  a  big,  fair,  open  chance. 

WRIGHTON.   By  all  means!     Good-by. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     135 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Wait  a  minute!  [Going  to 
him.]  Try  to  be  back  by  six,  and  we  could  take  a 
little  drive. 

[She  leads  him  out  into  the  hall,  out  of  sight. 
GERALDINE  watches,  smiling  softly.  There  is 
a  silence,  and  then  the  sound  of  a  kiss. 

GERALDINE.   I  heard  you ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  You  have  ears  like  Red 
Riding  Hood's  grandmother. 

[As  she  comes  back. 

GERALDINE.  I  don't  feel  at  all  like  bridge 
to-day. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Neither  do  I ;  but  at  this  rate 
we'll  never  learn. 

GERALDINE.  You'll  be  sure  to  see  him,  won't 
you? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  am  as  anxious  as  you,  dear. 
[Putting  her  arm  about  her.]  I'm  no  longer  fond 


136     TffE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

of  you,  Geraldine,  for  your  mother's  sake  only,  but 
for  your  own. 

GERALDINE.  And,  as  near  as  any  one  could,, 
you  take  her  place. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Thank  you. 

GERALDINE.  Listen,  the  more  I  hear  against 
him,  the  stronger  I  believe  in  him.  I  can't  help  it. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Smiling.]  That's  your  natu- 
ral inborn  stubbornness,  dear.  You  had  it  as  a 
child. 

GERALDINE.  I  don't  think  it's  stubbornness  this 
time,  I  think  it's  love.  No  woman  can  pretend 
she  loves  a  man,  unless  she  has  faith  in  him,  and 
the  only  one  able  to  destroy  that  faith  should  be 
the  man  she  loves. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh,  be  careful,  my  dear, 
don't  let  yourself  go !  It  looks  so  certain  you  must 
suffer  terribly  if  you  do. 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     137 

GERALDINE.   It's  too  late  to  say  that  now. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Really? 

GERALDINE.  Yes. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh,  then,  if  only  we  are 
wrong ! 

GERALDINE.  What  is  it  you  know  and  suspect  ? 
You  must  tell  me ;  I  have  a  right  to  ask  it. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I've  given  my  promise  to 
protect  another,  —  but  we  think  he  is  a  certain 
man  who  broke  the  heart  of  one  American  girl  in 
London  six  years  ago.  It  is  the  same  name. 

GERALDINE.   Carlman  ? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  No,  his  real  name. 

GERALDINE.  You  know  it? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Yes. 

GERALDINE.   And  you  won't  tell  me? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  am  going  to  make  him  tell 
you  —  this  afternoon. 


138     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  And  you  are  taking  all  this  trouble 
for  me  !  —  don't  think  me  ungrateful. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  We  are  only  trying  to  protect 
your  happiness  in  place  of  your  mother  and  father. 

GERALDINE.  Look !  You  shall  have  my  white 
rose! 

[Gives  it  to  her, 

[As  BUTLER  enters  Left,  and  announces  Miss 
TOMPSON.     She  enters. 

Vi.  [As  they  greet  her  and  she  shakes  hands.] 
Am  I  late  or  early  ?  Nobody  else  ?  Oh,  I  wish  I'd 
known  it ;  I'd  have  let  him  come  in. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Who? 

Vi.  Why,  the  Doctor !  off  the  ship !  I  never 
had  such  a  disappointment  in  my  life!  Never! 
Well?!!  — 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  How? 

Vi.   My  dear!!     He  came    to    lunch  with   us 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     139 

to-day,  and  without  his  uniform!  I  didn't  know 
him !  No,  really !  I  thought  it  was  the  barber 
come  to  shave  popper,  and  I  told  him  popper'd 
shaved  himself  and  gone  out!  Wasn't  it  awful/ 
Of  course  I  wanted  to  sink  through  the  floor! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Brass  buttons  do  make  a  great 
difference ! 

Vi.  I  should  say  they  did!  Why,  he  was  per- 
fectly horrid  !  I  never  saw  any  one  look  so  ordinary  I 
Never !!  and  he  hardly  spoke  a  word.  Just  sat 
there  in  all  his  hideous  commonplaceness  and  I 
had  to  do  all  the  talking! 

GERALDINE.  {Smiling.}  That  must  have  been 
very  difficult  for  you  I 

Vi.  Aren't  you  mean!  I  think  you  might 
sympathize  with  me. 

[BUTLER  announces  MRS.  MATHEWSON,  who 
comes  in. 


140     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  [There  are  the  usual  general 
greetings.]  I'm  not  late?  No,  Mr.  Crager  isn't 
here  yet  to  teach.  I  really  think,  especially  con- 
sidering this  is  the  second  lesson,  Mrs.  Wrighton, 
we  ought  to  fine  him  something  for  being  behind 
time.  » 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  My  dear  girl,  you  forget  that 
you  were  half  an  hour  late  the  first  lesson. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  Was  I?  My  dear  Miss 
Lang,  what  a  lovely  frock !  Where  did  you  get  it  ? 
I  suppose  you  brought  it  over  —  and,  Miss  Tomp- 
son,  I  called  on  your  mother  to-day. 

Vi.  I'm  sure  mamma  was  tickled  to  death !  I 
hope  she  was  in. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  She  was.  I  knew,  because 
I  heard  her  maid  telling  the  clerk  she  wanted  some 
writing  paper,  but  she  sent  down  word  she  was 
"out,"  which  I  considered  most  thoughtful  of  her. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     I4x 

You  know  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  one  might  as 
well  make  calls  in  Brooklyn  as  at  the  Waldorf, 
it  takes  about  the  same  length  of  time. 

Vi.  Probably  she  was  being  undulated.  I  know 
she  was  sorry ! 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  [Absent-mindedly.]  So  was 
I. 

[BUTLER  announces  MR.  CRAGER,  who  enters. 
He  bows  to  all  the  ladies,  who  say,  "How do  you 
do,"  except  MRS.  WRIGHTON,  who  rises  to 
greet  him  and  shakes  his  hand. 

CRAGER.   You  are  all  in  very  good  time  to-day. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  Yes,  I  have  to  run  off  in 
the  middle  of  the  lesson.  I  hope  some  one  will 
turn  up  to  take  my  place. 

Vi.  Lord  Tilbury's  going  to  drop  in ;  I  hope  you 
don't  mind? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Delighted ! 


142     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

CRAGER.  You  might  cut  for  partners  now, 
ladies ! 

[They  do  so. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  I  promised  to  drive  with  my 
husband.  He's  got  a  new  Hungarian  wine  com- 
pany on  his  mind;  and  he  never  will  do  anything 
without  me,  for  fear  if  it  fails  I'll  say,  "I  told  you 
so."  I  can  tell  you  I  don't  allow  the  twenty  years' 
difference  in  our  ages  to  be  wasted ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Mr.  Mathewson  has  been 
speaking  to  my  husband  about  the  company. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON,  as 
she  sees  how  the  cards  are  cut.]  Oh,  mercy,  must 
I  play  with  you  —  I  hoped  to  get  Miss  Lang  ; 
she  plays  the  best  of  all  of  us. 

GERALDINE.  [Laughingly.]  It  isn't  saying  much, 
is  it! 

MRS.    MATHEWSON.   Did  Mr.  Mathewson  tell 


,     THE  STUBBORNNESS  OF  GERALDINE     143 

you  of  the  beautiful  poor  young  man  from  Buda- 
pesth  who  has  the  grapes,  who  has  come  over  here 
evidently  to  make  a  rich  marriage,  and  with  whom 
we  are  all  sure  to  be  dead  in  love ! 

GERALDINE.  Please,  Mrs.  Mathewson,  we  must 
begin. 

CRAGER.  Yes,  please,  ladies ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Excuse  us,  Mr.  Crager, 
whose  deal  is  it? 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  I  hate,  dealing,  don't  say 
it's  mine,  I'd  really  rather  be  excused. 

CRAGER.   It's  Mrs.  Wrighton's  deal ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   How  nice,  I  love  dealing! 

Vi.  [Noticing  GERALDINE'S  silence  and  abstrac- 
tion.] Have  you  a  headache? 

GERALDINE.  No,  —  thank  you,  —  or  yes,  per- 
haps I  have  —  something. 

Vi.   I'm  awfully  sorry! 


144     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

[BUTLER  announces  MRS.  DREED,  who   comes 

in. 
Oh,  Mrs.  Dreed ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Excuse  me. 

GERALDINE.   Who's  Mrs.  Dreed? 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  A  horrid  woman ! 

Vi.  I  met  her  yesterday.  She  was  to  have  her 
gown  made  in  Williamsburg. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Lays  down  her  cards  in 
the  middle  of  the  dealing,  and  goes  to  greet  MRS. 
DREED.]  How  do  you  do,  I  am  so  glad  to  see 
you.  Do  sit  down  and  excuse  me  for  a  moment, 
won't  you?  I'm  just  dealing.  Or  will  you  have 
tea? 

MRS.  DREED.   No,  don't  let  me  interrupt. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  It's  bridge! 

MRS.  DREED.  I  should  love  to  watch !  I  lost 
my  last  penny  yesterday ! 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     145 

[Going  to  the  table,  she  greets  the  others,  who  also 
greet  her. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.   We're  only  just  learning  it. 

MRS.  DREED.  At  this  late  day!  Mercy!  most 
women  I  know  are  taking  lessons  now  in  forgetting 
it! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Taking  up  the  half-dealt 
pack.]  O  dear!  where  did  I  leave  off?  Does 
any  one  know  where  I  left  off? 

Vi. 


GERALDINE. 


No. 


MRS.  MATHEWSON. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  Here !  [Throwing  her  cards 
down  and  mixing  all  the  cards  up.]  Deal  over  again. 
I  was  having  the  most  awful  hand,  anyway  ! 

CRAGER.  You  can't  demand  a  new  deal,  Mrs. 
Mathewson,  after  having  looked  — 

[Interrupted. 


I46     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  [Laughingly.]  Well,  I've 
mixed  the  cards  all  up  now,  we'll  have  to ! ! 

[Mas.  WRIGHTON  begins  dealing  again. 
MRS.    DREED.   [To    MRS.    WRIGHTON.]  Will 
you  present  Miss  Lang  to  me? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Stopping  her  dealing.]  Oh, 
I  thought  you  knew  Geraldine.  Dear,  this  is  Mrs. 
Dreed. 

[MRS.  WRIGHTON  looks  again  hopelessly  at  her 
half  pack  and  about  the  table,  not  knowing  where 
she  left  off. 
CRAGER.   You  left  off  here,  Mrs.  Wrighton. 

[Pointing  to  player. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  We  should  never  know  how 
to  play,  you  know,  without  a  teacher. 

MRS.  DREED.  [To  GERALDINE.]  I  remember 
your  mother  well;  and  I  am  coming  to  Mrs. 
Wrigh ton's  party  at  your  house  week  after  next. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     147 

GERALDINE.  Isn't  it  charming  of  her  to  come 
and  give  her  party  there,  and  she's  asking  all  my 
mother's  old  friends.  I  am  looking  forward  to  it; 
I  shall  be  delighted  to  see  you  and  Mr.  Dreed. 

MRS.  DREED.  Well,  I'm  not  coming  with  Mr. 
Dreed,  —  we're  divorced,  —  but  I  shall  be  there 
just  the  same. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Tries  to  stop  her.]  I  haven't 
room  here,  and  besides  it's  for  you,  and  it's  time 
that  ballroom  was  used,  anyway ! 

CRAGER.  Do  you  make  the  trump,  Mrs. 
Wrighton?  If  so,  you  must  make  it,  or  else  say, 
"Partner,  will  you  make  it?" 

[BUTLER  announces  LORD  TILBURY,  who 
enters. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Not  rising.]  How  do  you  do! 
[Vi  and  GERALDINE  look  up  and  nod.]  Mrs.  Dreed, 
Lord  Tilbury;  Mrs.  Mathewson,  Lord  Tilbury. 


I48     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

[Introducing.]  And  now  excuse  me,  we  are  playing 
bridge,  and  are  at  a  very  serious  point. 

GERALDINE.   Very !  the  first  play  I 

[LORD  TILBURY,  who  is  a  little  embarrassed,  sits 
down  beside  Vi.  She  gives  him  a  coquettish 
look.  All  are  examining  their  cards. 

Vi.   Whose  turn  is  it? 

CRAGER.  Do  you  make  the  trump,  Mrs. 
Wrighton  ? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Most  certainly  I  do.  I  — 
er  —  I  make  it  diamonds !  —  No,  I  don't !  — 
I  make  it  spades  —  yes,  really,  I  make  it 
spades. 

Vi.   Oh,  darn  it ! 

GERALDINE.   It's  your  lead,  Vi. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.   I've  got  a  divine  hand ! 

MRS.  DREED.   Sh  !  — 

Vi.   May  I  play,  partner? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     149 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Laughing.]  Oh,  I  do  think 
that's  too  silly! 

GERALDINE.  [Laughing.]  Yes,  what  would  hap- 
pen if  I  said  she  couldn't? 

[They  laugh. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Try  it  and  see. 

GERALDINE.  No!  you  can't  play! 

Vi.   [To  CRAGER,  laughing.]  Is  that  fair? 

CRAGER.  Certainly  not.  Your  partner,  if  she 
doesn't  want  to  double,  must  say,  "Please." 

GERALDINE.  [With  a  great  deal  of  manner.] 
Please!! 

[TILBURY  is  looking  at  Vi's  hand. 

GERALDINE.  [Looks  at  her  watch  and  speaks 
aside  to  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  It  is  getting  near 
five. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Aside  to  GERALDINE.]  I'm 
watching ! 


150     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

Vi.   [Plays.]  There! 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  You've  been  abroad,  Miss 
Tompson  ? 

Vi.  Yes,  for  over  a  year.  We've  been  every- 
where, —  all  over  the  place,  and  seen  every- 
thing I 

CRAGER.   It's  your  play,  Mrs.  Mathewson. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  Oh,  I  beg  every  one's 
pardon.  What  lead? 

GERALDINE.   {Showing.}  There. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  O  dear! — Mrs.  Dreed,  do 
give  me  a  hint.  [MRS.  DREED  goes  behind  her  and 
plays  a  card  for  her.}  You're  just  the  person  I  want 
to  see,  Miss  Tompson,  because  there's  one  thing 
I  haven't  seen,  and  I'm  thinking  of  going  over  this 
spring  if  it's  worth  while. 

[GERALDINE  plays. 

GERALDINE.   [Looking  at  CRAGER.]  Right? 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     151 

CRAGER.   Yes. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Now  shall  I  play  that  or  that, 
Lord  Tilbury? 

TILBURY.  Either  would  be  cheating!  You  must 
play  that! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh!  and  lose  it?  [Plays.] 
That's  too  bad. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  [To  Vi.]  Did  you  see  the 
Acropolis  ? 

Vi.    [Echoes  dumbly.]  The  Acrop  —  what? 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.   The  Acropolis. 

GERALDINE.   You  took  that  trick,  Vi. 

Vi.  Did  I  ?  That's  lovely !  [To  MRS.  MATHEW- 
SON.] No,  I  don't  think  we  went  there,  and,  O 
dear,  mamma'll  have  a  fit  if  we've  missed  some- 
thing —  where  is  it  ? 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.   In  Greece. 

Vi.   We  went  to  Greece. 


152     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.   [To  Vi.]  It's  your  play. 

Vi.  [To  TILBURY,  holding  up  her  cards.]  Go 
ahead ! 

[He  plays  for  her. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  It's  in  Athens. 

Vi.  We  went  to  Athens! 

CRAGER.  Excuse  me,  Mrs.  Mathewson,  you 
must  attend  to  the  game. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  Just  a  minute,  Mr.  Crager ! 
The  Acropolis,  the  most  beautiful  of  all  ancient 
ruins,  —  a  thing  on  a  hill ! 

Vi.  Oh,  that!  Oh,  yes,  we  saw  that!  with  and 
without  sunset,  and  with  and  without  moon !  You 
know  mamma  and  I  can't  remember  one-half  the 
places  we've  seen,  but  popper  can,  because  he's 
kept  a  diary  and  put  it  down  every  night !  Made 
mamma  so  mad,  because  she's  always  dead  tired 
and  crazy  to  go  straight  to  sleep ! 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     153 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.   My  play. 

[Play*. 

GERALDINE.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  If  you  let 
more  visitors  in,  Aunt  Janet,  how  will  you  get 
rid  of  them? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [To  GERALDINE.]  True,  dear. 
[To  the  others.]  Excuse  me. 

[Rising,  rings  bell. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  We  can't  look  at  her  cards, 
can  we ! 

GERALDINE.  Really!  I  wouldn't  like  to  play 
with  you  for  money ! 

[She  and  CRAGER  examine  her  hand. 

MRS.  DREED.  Oh,  Janet.  [Going  to  MRS. 
WRIGHTON  and  speaking  to  her,  aside.]  I  came  in 
to-day  in  hopes  of  finding  a  stray  young  man  with 
you  to  fill  a  vacant  place  at  dinner  to-night.  It's 
such  a  nuisance  having  a  man  back  out  at  the 


154     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

last  minute.     I  don't  think  illness  is  any  excuse 
for  a  man,  do  you? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Laughing.]  Oh,  none  in  the 
world ! 

TILBURY.  [As  MRS.  MATHEWSON  plays.]  You 
must  have  five  aces,  Mrs.  Mathewson. 

MRS.  DREED.  I  was  wondering,  what  about 
this  Mr.  —  er  —  What's-his-name  —  who's  giving 
you  bridge  lessons? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Mr.  Crager  is  charming. 

CRAGER.  [As  card  is  played.]  No,  you  mustn't 
make  that  play,  you  must  play  the  club. 

[SERVANT  comes  in  and  waits  aside. 

MRS.  DREED.  But  you  know,  is  he  —  a  gentle- 
man? Has  he  ever  dined  with  you? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Quizzing  her.]  If  you  mean 
does  he  eat  with  his  knife  —  I  assure  you  not  even 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     155 

MRS.  DREED.  Don't  be  disagreeable!  You 
don't  think  people  would  mind?  This  is  my 
smartest  dinner  of  the  season ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Smiling,  amused.]  So  sorry 
Pm  not  invited!  I  can  only  say  7  should  love  to 
go  out  to  dinner  with  Mr.  Crager. 

MRS.  DREED.  Oh,  well,  anyway  he  can  take  in 
mother !  I  must  have  another  man,  and  that  sort 
of  people  are  always  free !  You  must  introduce 
me,  dear. 

[She  goes  back  to  the  whist  table. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [To  SERVANT.]  Thornton, 
I  wish  to  have  it  said  at  the  door  that  I  am  indis- 
posed and  not  receiving  to-day. 

THORNTON.  Yes,  madam. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [In  lower  voice.]  Except  a 
Mr.  Carlman;  I  wish  to  see  him. 

THORNTON.  Yes,  madam. 


156     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.   Thornton! 

THORNTON.   Yes,  madam. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  Do  you  know  if  my  carriage 
is  at  the  door? 

THORNTON.   It  has  just  driven  up,  madam. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.   Thank  you. 

[THORNTON  goes  out  at  back. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Aside  to  CRAGER  as  she 
takes  her  place.}  I  want  you  to  dine  with  me 
to-night  and  go  to  the  theatre,  will  you? 

CRAGER.   Thank  you,  very  much. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Whose  turn  is  it? 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  [Putting  down  her  cards.] 
I'm  awfully  sorry,  but  I  shall  have  to  go.  [She 
rises.]  Good-by !  [Shaking  hands  with  MRS. 
WRIGHTON,  who  rises.]  Good-by,  everybody. 
When  is  the  next  lesson? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Next  Tuesday. 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     157 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  Impossible!  I  have  a 
concert. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  How  about  Friday? 

Vi.   Impossible  for  met 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Wednesday  ? 

CRAGER.  I'm  sorry,  but  I  have  another  class. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  Let's  skip  a  week ;  it'll  do 
us  all  good. 

GERALDINE.   Oh,  but  we'll  never  learn! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  We'll  decide  later  and  let  you 
know. 

[The  SERVANT  enters  with  a  visiting  card. 

THORNTON.  Mr.  Mathewson  is  in  the  carriage, 
madam,  and  has  sent  you  this  message. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  [Reads it  aloud.]  "Wrighton 
knows  something  about  our  Hungarian  charmer 
and  has  upset  the  wine  combination  for  the  present, 
so  don't  interrupt  your  cards,  unless  you're  losing!" 


158     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

[She  laughs  at  that.]  Oh,  well,  I'd  better  go  with 
him,  anyway,  I've  a  little  neuralgia.  I  think  re- 
membering all  the  rules,  and  keeping  the  different 
cards  in  one's  mind  gives  one  a  headache. 
Good-by. 

[They  all  echo,  "Good-by." 

[MRS.   MATHEWSON  goes   out  Left,   shown  by 
THORNTON,  who  goes  out  after  her. 

MRS.  DREED.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  Won't 
you  introduce  Mr.  Crager,  dear? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Mr.   Crager,  Mrs.  Dreed. 

CRAGER.   [Bows.]  Mrs.  Dreed. 

MRS.  DREED.  [Shakes  hands,  speaks  effusively.] 
I'm  delighted,  I've  heard  so  much  of  you  from  so 
many  friends.  Every  one  agrees  you  are  quite  the 
very  best  teacher  of  bridge. 

CRAGER.  You  are  very  kind,  Mrs.  Dreed. 

MRS.  DREED.  We  must  play  together  some  day, 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     159 

Good-by.  [Shakes  hands,  pretends  to  go,  and  comes 
back.]  Oh,  by  the  way,  do  dine  with  me  to-night, 
won't  you?  At  eight.  I  shall  expect  you. 

[Smiling,  half  bows,  and  turns  to  go. 

CRAGER.  I  beg  your  pardon,  I  am  sorry,  I  am 
engaged. 

MRS.  DREED.  [Turning,  and  off  her  guard.] 
What? 

CRAGER.  [Conventionally.]  I'm  very  sorry,  but  I 
am  engaged. 

MRS.  DREED.  [With  a  decided  change  to  a 
supercilious  manner.]  Oh,  really.  So  sorry. 
[To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  Good-by,  my  dear. 
[To  others.]  Good-by. 

[They  reply,  "Good-by." 
[MRS.  DREED  goes  out  Left. 

TILBURY.  I  am  getting  awfully  fond  of  America, 
Mrs.  Wrighton. 


160     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  I  told  you,  Lord  Tilbury !  How  is 
Rosy  blowing  to-day,  hot  or  cold? 

TILBURY.  I  say !  I'm  rather  ashamed,  but  I'm 
afraid  she's  blowing  a  little  chilly  to-day ! 

Vi.  Who's  Rosy? 

GERALDINE.   Hasn't  he  told  you? 

Vi.   No! 

CRAGER.  [Who  is  about  to  go,  after  having  said 
good-by  to  all.]  Mrs.  Wrighton,  I  feel  really 
ashamed  to  pretend  that  these  are  lessons.  Don't 
you  think  we'd  better  give  them  up? 

[MRS.   WRIGHTON  goes  with  him  toward  the 
door  Left. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Aside,  confidentially.]  We'll 
break  up  this  class,  and  Miss  Lang  and  I  will  start 
another.  Till  to-night  at  seven? 

CRAGER.  You're  awfully  kind. 

[Goes  out  Left. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     161 

[Vi  and  TILBURY  rise,  also  GERALDINE. 

Vi.  We  must  go,  too ! 

GERALDINE.  I  hope,  Vi,  you're  showing  New 
York  to  Lord  Tilbury? 

TILBURY.  Oh,  she's  dragging  me  all  over  the 
shop ! 

Vi.  But  I'm  running  short  of  interesting  places 
for  the  daytime !  Do  you  think  he'd  enjoy  the 
Eden  Musee? 

GERALDINE.   Yes,  he's  sure  to  love  it ! 

[Laughing. 

Vi.  Which  most,  that  or  Grant's  Monument? 
He's  seen  Cleopatra's  Needle,  and  Tuxedo,  and 
Madison  Square  Garden,  and  the  Washington 
Arch,  and  the  Bowery. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  My  dear  Miss  Tompson, 
there's  no  street  in  the  world  so  beautiful  as 
Riverside  Drive,  —  take  him  there. 

M 


162     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.  [To  GERALDINE.]  Is  there  an  over- 
ground, underground,  or  on-the-ground  railway 
there? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Not  yet! 

TILBURY.  [With  relief.]  Oh,  thank  Heaven; 
then  we  can  take  a  cab ! 

GERALDINE.  Do  you  go  everywhere  with  Lord 
Tilbury  alone? 

Vi.  Yes,  nobody  knows  me  here,  and  besides, 
popper's  invited  him  out  to  Butte  City  to  visit  us 
all  winter,  hasn't  he? 

TILBURY.  Mr.  Tompson  has  really  been  rippin' 
kind. 

GERALDINE.  And  I  suppose  that  makes  a  differ- 
ence !  Of  course,  Lord  Tilbury,  an  English  girl  — 

Vi.  [Interrupting.]  My  dear!  From  what  he 
tells  me,  an  English  girl  must  be  too  awful  for 
words,  just  too  perfectly  AWFUL  ! ! 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     163 

GERALDINE.   Vi ! 

[Reprovingly. 

Vi.    Oh,  I'm  always  perfectly  honest,  ain't  I, 
Lord  Tilbury  ?  and  I  owned  up  that  I  think  Eng- 
lishmen are  —  well !  —  simply  lovely  1 1    Good-by  ! 
[She  goes  out  Left. 
TILBURY.   Good-by! 
GERALDINE  and  MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Good-by. 

[TILBURY  follows  Vi  out. 
Vi.    [Off  stage.]   Oh,  just  wait  a  minute ! 

[She  comes  back  quickly. 

Vi.  I  can  marry  him  if  I  want  to.  I  thought 
you'd  guess !  Did  you  ever  see  such  perfectly 
beautiful  pants  as  he  wears?  Oh,  I  think  they're 
just  too  swell  for  anything !  But  of  course,  you 
know,  we  can't  let  him  wear  them  in  Butte  City,  — 
the  boys  would  yell  after  him  in  the  streets. 
Good-by ! 


164     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

[She  goes  out  Left. 

[The  two  women  echo,  "Good-by,"  and  look  at 
each  other,  a  little  bewildered,  and  then  laugh. 

GERALDINE.   Isn't  she  wonderful ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Ringing  bell.]  I  never  saw 
anything  like  her.  She  is  so  amusing. 

GERALDINE.  Yes,  and  after  a  fifteen  years'  heavy 
diet  of  the  German  frauleins  of  Stuttgart,  you  can 
imagine  what  a  colossal  joy  she  is  to  me !  But  you 
must  realize  that  underneath  everything  she  has 
an  awfully  good  heart.  That  girl  as  a  friend  and 
as  a  woman  would  be  as  true  as  steel !  And  she 
always  affects  me  like  a  tonic,  —  I  feel  doubly 
hopeful  now  of  your  interview. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Do  you  want  to  see 
him? 

GERALDINE.  Of  course  I  want  to,  but  I  will  do 
as  you  say. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     165 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Suppose  you  go  into  that 
room — [Motioning  to  back.] — and  we'll  draw  the 
curtains. 

GERALDINE.  And  I  listen  without  his  knowing 
it?  Oh,  no,  I  wouldn't  for  worlds! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  You're  right. 

[THORNTON  comes  in  from  back. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  You  can  take  away  the  card 
table,  Thornton. 

GERALDINE.  It's  after  five.  Oh,  do  you  think 
he  won't  come?  Won't  he  come? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  hope  so.  Thornton,  if  the 
gentleman  I  spoke  to  you  of  should  come,  tell  me 
before  you  show  him  in. 

THORNTON.  Yes,  madam. 

[Having  rearranged  the  table,  he  goes  out. 

GERALDINE.  You  know,  suppose  he  is  poor 
as  he  seems,  and  suppose  all  his  hopes  and  expec- 


166     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

tations  are  centred  on  forming  this  company,  and 
it  is  broken  up,  think  what  that  will  mean  to  him ! 
Maybe  it  is  because  he  is  poor  that  he  felt  he 
couldn't  ask  me  to  marry  him! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  That  theory  is  not  altogether 
plausible,  my  dear;  he  is  what  the  papers  call  "a 
titled  foreigner." 

GERALDINE.   Titled? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh,  there!  I've  let  that 
much  out,  anyway. 

GERALDINE.  Maybe  he  doesn't  think  me  a  good 
enough  match  if  he  is  so  high. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  That's  not  plausible  either! 
He's  not  so  high  as  all  that ;  in  fact,  dear,  it  breaks 
my  heart  to  tell  you,  but  we  practically  know  he's 
low,  as  low  as  he  can  be. 

GERALDINE.  But  you  don't  absolutely 
know? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     167 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Which  is  why  we  don't  tell 
you  more. 

GERALDINE.  I  can't,  I  won't  believe  it. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Stubbornness! 

GERALDINE.   Or  —  love  I 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Even  after  what  he  said  to 
you? 

GERALDINE.  I  told  you,  he  doesn't  understand 
our  language  enough  to  judge  him  by  mere 
words  I 

[THORNTON  comes  in. 

THORNTON.  Mr.  Carlman,  madam. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Show  him  in. 

[THORNTON  goes  out. 

GERALDINE.  I  want  to  see  him!  I  want  to 
give  him  his  chance. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Go  upstairs,  and  perhaps  I 
will  send  for  you. 


1 68       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  [Going,  stops.]  You'll  be  kind? 
And  help  him? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Make  haste!  [GERALDINE 
goes  out  back  and  turns  to  the  Right.  MRS.  WRIGH- 
TON stands  in  the  centre  of  the  room  and  waits. 
A  moment's  pause.  THORNTON  announces  MR. 
CARLMAN.  KINSEY  comes  in,  and  THORNTON  exits. 
KINSEY  bows.  MRS.  WRIGHTON  holds  out  her 
hand.]  The  olive  branch  ! 

KINSEY.  [Taking  her  hand,  bows  low  over  it.] 
If  I  vas  late,  it  iss  ze  fault  of  Mr.  Wrighton. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Surprised.]  Have  you  just 
seen  him? 

KINSEY.  Oh,  no,  I  vish  I  hafe  nefer  see  him.  It 
iss  he  zat  has  now  spoil  all  mine  plan  and  hope. 
For  two  veeks,  ze  night  an'  ze  day,  I  hafe 
vorked  —  [He  breaks.]  He  hafe  told  you, 
yess  ? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE       169 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Yes. 

KINSEY.  And  now  ve  must  also  vait  more  as 
two  veeks  longer,  an'  who  knows  vat  vill  not  happen 
in  ze  two  veeks? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  If  one  is  honest,  one  needn't 
be  afraid  to  wait. 

KINSEY.  Ah,  you  do  not  understan'.  Zis 
company  vill  gife  to  me  freedom,  but  ze  freedom 
is  possible  to  come  too  late  to  mean  anyzing  to  me. 
But  you  hafe  vish  to  see  me.  Egscuse  me  if  I 
ask  you  for  vhy? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  I  want  to  talk  to  you  about 
Miss  Lang ! 

KINSEY.   She  hafe  told  you  perhaps,  yess? 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Yes. 

KINSEY.  I  guess  because  he  hafe  know! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Why  did  you  behave  as  you 
did? 


170       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.   Pecause  I  loaf  her !  — 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   People  do  not  usually  insult 
those  they  love. 

KINSEY.  I  did  not  mean.    Ze  heart  vas  too 
strong  for  ze  lips ! 

[Smiling. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   [In  an  outburst.]  Ah !  if  only 
we  could  trust  you ! 

KINSEY.   Madame! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Tell  me  your  name  is  NOT 
Count  Kinsey ! 

KINSEY.   [Surprise,  a  second's  pause.]  Ah !    She 
tell  too !    The  Fraulein.     Veil ! !  — 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Never  mind  who  told  me ;  tell 
me  your  real  name. 

KINSEY.    [Drawing  himself  up.]  I  hafe  me  no 
name  here  but  only  Carlman. 

MRS.    WRIGHTON.   That    is    not    your    name? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE       171 

[KiNSEY  doesn't  answer.}  Tell  me  then  if  you 
were  in  the  embassy  at  London. 

KINSEY.  I  vill  tell  you  nussing?  madam,  I  do 
not  understan'  you  hafe  ze  right  to  ask  me  so. 
—  Who  I  vas  and  vat  I  vas  is  mine  affair.  Your 
husbant  hafe  great  injury  me  done  in  one  vay,  I 
tink  now  you  vould  in  anozer.  I  bid  you  goot 
afternoon. 

[GERALDINE  enters  through  the  curtains  at  back. 

GERALDINE.  You  didn't  send,  I've  come  down, 
I  couldn't  wait.  [She  sees  him  leaving.]  He's 
going?! 

KINSEY.  [Looking  at  the  curtains.}  Vas  she 
listening ! 

GERALDINE.  What  ? 

KINSEY.   No!     Oh,  no,  I  am  sure! 

GERALDINE.  No  what? 

KINSEY.   No  nussing! 


172     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  He  won't  answer  me,  Geral- 
dine ;  maybe  he  will  you.  Ask  him  his  own  name. 

GERALDINE.   I  promised  him  I  wouldn't. 

KINSEY.  What  ze  difference  iss  it  who  or  vat  I 
vas  ?  Your  husband  hafe  me  made  great  troubles ; 
I  vould  hafe  nussing  to  do  viz  him.  You  hurt  me 
here  to-day,  I  do  not  know  for  vhy.  Meess  Lang 
—  she  despise  me. 

GERALDINE.   I  do  not  despise  you. 

KINSEY.  I  have  insult  you. 

GERALDINE.   Do  you  remember  what  you  said  ? 

KINSEY.  Ze  vords  burn  here,  all  ze  night,  all  ze 
day. 

GERALDINE.  What  were  they? 

KINSEY.  Zat  I  could  not  ask  of  you  to  be  mine 
vife. 

GERALDINE.  I  know,  —  but  why  not? 

KINSEY.  I  vas  not  free. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     173 

GERALDINE.  How  "not  free"? 

KINSEY.  I  vas  ashame  to  tell  you ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Don't  ask  more,  Geraldine. 

GERALDINE.  Yes,  I  will !  This  is  where  I  was 
wrong  before.  Don't  stop  me  now,  please  —  or 
I'll  say  or  do  something  I'd  be  sorry  for !  Is  the 
reason  you  are  ashamed  an  insult  to  me? 

KINSEY.   No,  oh,  no! 

GERALDINE.  And  no  dishonour  to  you? 

KINSEY.  No! 

GERALDINE.  I  knew  it !    I  knew  it ! ! 

KINSEY.  And  soon  it  vill  be  finish,  I  tink,  and  I 
can  zen  tell  you  eferyzing.  —  It  vas  to  hafe  been  to- 
morrow, but  — 

[Looking  at  MRS.  WRIGHTON. 

GERALDINE.  [With  suppressed  excitement.]  I 
will  wait !  Do  you  hear,  I  WILL  WAIT  ! ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Geraldine,  dear! 


174     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

GERALDINE.  No,  Aunt  Janet,  let  me  finish ! ! 
[To  KINSEY.]  When  you  come  to  tell  me,  you  will 
find  me  ready  to  listen ! 

[She  gives  him  the  white  rose  which  she  takes  from 
MRS.  WRIGHTON. 

[WRIGHTON  enters  Left. 

WRIGHTON.  Ah !  Mr.  Carlman,  I  thought  I 
might  catch  you  here.  I've  been  to  the  meeting 
of  directors  of  your  quasi  company ;  I  have  seen 
your  maps  and  the  cables  which  you  purport  to 
have  received ! 

KINSEY.   SIR?! 

GERALDINE.   [Angry.]  Mr.  Wrighton ! ! 

[MRS.    WRIGHTON    seizes    GERALDINE'S   hand. 

WRIGHTON.  Oh,  hear  me  out !  It  is  the  Kinsey 
estate  in  Hungary  —  this  that  you  wish  to  farm  out 
to  us? 

KINSEY.   It  iss/ 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     175 

WRIGHTON.  This  power  over  the  Kinsey  estate 
is  in  your  hands? 

KINSEY.  //  iss! 

WRIGHTON.   [Angry.]  Your  scheme  is  a  fraud, 
sir! 

KINSEY.   [Controlling    himself    with    difficulty.] 
Gottl! 

GERALDINE.  'No! 

[MRS.  WRIGHTON  restrains  GERALDINE. 

WRIGHTON.   I  have  warned  my  friends. 

KINSEY.   But  ze  cables? 

WRIGHTON.   Worthless !    How  do  we  know  who 
sent  them? 

KINSEY.  You  insult  mine  honour,  sir. 

WRIGHTON.   In  that  case  Miss  Lang  will  uphold 
me  that  turn  about  is  fair  play. 

GERALDINE.   [In    real    distress.]  No!    No!    I 
won't  uphold  you ! 


176     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

WRIGHTON.  Enough  to  say  the  scheme  is 
ended. 

KINSEY.  You  tink  you  have  ruin  me,  Mr. 
Wrighton  ? 

WRIGHTON.  My  only  object  has  been  to  serve 
my  friends  and  Miss  Lang.  These  gentlemen 
asked  me  to  give  you  back  these  papers. 

[Handing  them  to  KINSEY. 

KINSEY.  In  two  veeks  zese  same  gentlemen  vill 
ask  of  me  to  gife  zem  back  to  zem. 

WRIGHTON.   I  doubt  it  —  COUNT  Kinseyl 

[Pause. 

KINSEY.  {About  to  go,  starts  and  turns  in  great 
surprise,  then  recovers  and  bows.]  Zat  is  not  my 
name! 

[He  goes  out  Left. 

WRIGHTON.  Liar! 

GERALDINE.   No,  don't !    I  won't  listen  to  you. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     177 

You're  not  fair !  You're  not  fair !  You  made  me 
love  you,  but  now  I  hate  you  for  what  you've  done ! 
I  hate  you !  [Going  to  him.]  Oh,  you  were  brutal 
to  him,  brutal;  how  could  you? 

[Sobbing. 

WRIGHTON.  My  dear  child,  /  had  to  be !  You 
don't  know  what  I  have  to  tell  you!  Fraulein 
recognized  him  as  Count  Kinsey  on  the  boat ;  to 
her  he  acknowledged  it ! 

GERALDINE.   To  her?    He  did! 

WRIGHTON.  Yes,  under  a  promise  of  secrecy; 
but  she  was  worried  and  told  my  wife.  I  cabled  to 
London  after  my  interview  with  him  this  morning, 
and  here  is  my  reply.  [GERALDINE  turns  away 
from  WRIGHTON.]  "Yes,  Kinsey  sailed  America 
week  October  3oth,  after  American  girl,  was  in 
embassy  here,  worst  reputation  possible,  letter 
follows."  It  is  from  a  secretary  of  our  legation. 


178     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

[There  is  silence,  broken  only  by  GERALDINE'S 
sobs. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  [Going  to  her.]  My  dear,  my 
dear.  .  .  . 

GERALDINE.  [Sobbing  as  she  speaks.]  No !  No ! 
I  don't  want  to  be  sympathized  with.  I  know  you 
mean  it  all  for  my  good,  both  of  you,  but  I  tell  you 
you're  wrong!  wrong!  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  He 
explained  that  what  he  said  the  other  day  about 
the  things  that  held  him  back  meant  no  insult  to 
me,  nor  dishonour  to  him  either.  It's  because  he's 
poor,  I  tell  you,  I  can  see  it  clearly.  He's  poor  and 
he  knows  I  am  rich !  This  company  would  have 
made  it  possible  for  him  to  ask  a  woman  to  marry 
him,  and  you,  you,  my  best  friends,  have  done  all 
you  could  to  rob  him  of  his  chance. 

WRIGHTON.  Because  I  don't  believe  in  him.  I 
know  too  much  of  his  record. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     179 

GERALDINE.  [Still  crying,  but  beginning  to  con- 
trol her  tears.]  You  don't  know,  you  don't  know, 
you  only  guess ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Why  confess  his  name  to 
Fraulein  and  deny  it  to  us  ?  And  why  had  he  con- 
cealed it? 

WRIGHTON.  That's  it !  Why  ?  —  unless  he  was 
ashamed  or  afraid. 

GERALDINE.  [Having  controlled  her  tears.}  Per- 
haps, if  he  is  Count  Kinsey,  he  is  above  making  use 
of  his  title.  Other  men  have  come  over  here  only 
to  sell  their  titles.  He  has  proved  himself  above 
that! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  You  are  young,  dear,  and 
inexperienced  in  the  world,  —  living  way  off  in 
that  little  German  town,  —  and  love  blinds  your 
insight.  This  man's  reputation  is  known  and  it 
is  abominable ! 


i8o     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GEKALDINE 

[At  this  GERALDINE  frees  herself  from  MRS. 
WRIGHTON'S  arms. 

WRIGHTON.  You  heard  what  I  read  just  now, 
Geraldine,  from  an  unprejudiced  and  responsible 
source. 

GERALDINE.  But  you  haven't  proved  it  yet  that 
he  is  Count  Kinsey,  and  if  he  is,  there  may  be 
more  than  one  in  Hungary.  No,  you  wouldn't 
believe  in  his  cable,  —  /  won't  believe  in  yours  ! 

WRIGHTON.  I  have  sent  both  to  London  and 
Budapesth  for  further  and  more  reliable  proof. 
In  a  fortnight  I  am  only  too  afraid  I  will  be  able 
to  give  you  that  proof. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  And  if  we  prove  to  you  this 
man  is  unworthy  your  confidence  and  your  love, 
will  you  let  us,  who  are  trying  to  take  your  mother's 
place,  guide  you  just  a  little  on  your  road  to  happi- 
ness? 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     181 

GERALDINE.  [Very  firmly.]  Yes,  if  you  do 
prove  to  me  that  he  is  unworthy ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   That,  Dick,  is  all  we  want. 

GERALDINE.  [Excited.]  And  if  your  proof  comes 
and  after  all  exonerates  him,  if  all  these  things  you 
believe  now  prove  somehow  some  hideous  mistake 
—  you'll  turn  around  and  be  his  friend  ? 

[To  MRS.  WRIGHTON. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Yes ! 

GERALDINE.  [More  excited,  to  WRIGHTON.]  And 
you  too,  —  you'll  withdraw  your  influence  against 
his  company? 

WRIGHTON.   I'll  form  that  company  for  him ! 

GERALDINE.  [Laughing hysterically.]  Ah '.that's 
good !  That's  good !  [She  goes  to  WRIGHTON,  half 
embracing  him,  and  then  goes  to  MRS.  WRIGHTON 
and  hugs  her  close.]  Now  I  can  be  happy !  —  wait 
and  be  happy,  for  he  and  I  will  win,  I  tell  you ! 


i82     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

[Kissing  MRS.  WRIGHTON  in  an  hysteria  of  tears 
and  laughter.]  Forgive  me  for  being  angry  just 
now !  Forgive  me !  And  look !  I'm  not  crying ! 
I'm  LAUGHING!!  I'm  laughing  because  I'm  the 
happiest  girl  in  the  world  again !  The  HAPPIEST  ! ! 
[Laughing  and  crying.]  For  he  and  I  will  win ! !  I 
know,  whoever  he  turns  out  to  be,  the  man  I  love 
is  true! 

THE    CURTAIN    FALLS 


ACT  IV 

The  conservatory  in  Geraldine's  house.  The 
room  is  a  mass  of  potted  plants.  There  is  a  semi- 
circular marble  bench  at  Right,  banked  behind 
with  a  row  of  orange  trees.  The  Blue  Hungarian 
Band  is  playing  on  a  dais  at  Left.  The  musicians 
are  screened  by  bay  trees  and  palms.  The  moon- 
light is  seen  through  the  roof.  The  entrance  from 
the  ballroom  is  Right.  LORD  TILBURY  and  Vi 
are  seated  on  the  marble  bench.  The  band  finishes 
a  waltz. 

Vi.  You  know,  I  haven't  had  the  slightest  desire 
to  marry  a  lord !  Of  course  7  was  dying  to  know 
you  on  the  steamer ;  but  then  I've  always  been  crazy 

to  meet  lords  and  dukes  and  such  things,  just  to 
183 


184       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

say  I  had;  but  as  to  being  a  "lady,"  especially 
when  it  means  living  in  London!  I've  always 
thought  "Excuse  me!  " 

TILBURY.  Only  part  of  the  year.  I'll  promise  to 
bring  you  to  America  every  winter. 

Vi.  If  you  didn't,  I  should  certainly  bring  you  1 
[Laughing.]  I  just  love  my  home.  I  know  Europe's 
perfectly  grand,  and  I'm  not  finding  any  fault  with 
London  or  Paris  or  Vienna  or  anywhere,  but  for  a 
good  time  among  your  friends,  Butte  City  beats 
them  all  in  my  eyes !  Just  wait  till  you  see  it ! 

TILBURY.  I  hope  to  have  that  pleasure  very 
soon,  —  don't  mind  if  I  call  you  darling,  or 
something  of  that  sort? 

Vi.  I  don't  care,  but  don't  you  think  you'd  better 
wait  till  I've  really  decided. 

TILBURY.  Well,  you  will  give  me  a  decided 
answer  when  we  get  home? 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE       185 

Vi.  "We"  get  home!  Isn't  that  rushing  it 
just  a  little  ? 

TILBURY.  Really !  Well,  then,  when  we  all  get 
to  Butte  City? 

Vi.   Yes,  that  I  promise. 

[He  takes  her  hand  and  holds  it  for  a  moment 
in  happy  silence.  MRS.  MATHEWSON  comes, 
with  a  silly-looking  young  man,  to  take  the 
marble  seat.  They  are  disappointed  to  find  it 
occupied. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  O  dear,  of  course  that 
Tompson  girl  is  still  there !  They've  monopolized 
the  best  seat  in  the  house  the  entire  evening. 

YOUNG  MAN.  Never  mind,  let's  go  back  and 
dance. 

[They  turn  and  go  out. 
TILBURY.   Are  you  happy? 
Vi.   [Doubtfully.]   Oh,  yes — ? 


i86       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.   [Delighted.]  So  am  I!    Rippin*  11 

[A  moment's  silence.    Another  couple  come  and 
look  to  see  if  the  bench  is  empty. 

GIRL.   Oh,  pshaw ! 

[They  go  out. 

Vi.  [Withdrawing  her  hand.]  Somebody  might 
come  along.  Say  —  who  is  Rosy? 

TILBURV.  [Has  entirely  forgotten.]  Rosy?  What 
Rosy? 

Vi.  Why  I've  heard  Miss  Lang  tease  you  once 
or  twice  about  a  Rosy! 

TILBURY.   [Embarrassed.]   Oh,  that  Rosy! 

[He  says  no  more. 

Vi.  WHO  is  she? 

TILBURY.  [More  embarrassed.]  Oh,  er — she's 
—  er  —  a  sort  of  Spanish  girl,  that  —  er  —  I 
thought  Miss  Lang  reminded  me  of  once. 

Vi.  And  didn't  /  ever  remind  you  of  her? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD INE       187 

TILBURY.   Er — yes — I  er — believe  you  did.  .  .  . 

Vi.   Where  is  she  now? 

TILBURY.  I  dunno ! 

Vi.   When  did  you  see  her  last? 

TILBURY.   [Unwillingly.]  The  day  I  sailed. 

Vi.  [Who  is  getting  more  and  more  excited  with 
her  questions  and  their  answers.}  Oh,  did  she  see 
you  off? 

TILBURY.  Well  —  er  —  yes  —  it  answered  that 
purpose. 

Vi.   What's  her  other  name? 

TILBURY.   [Who  is  in  agony.]   Boggs. 

Vi.   Boggs!    Really!    Sounds  very  Spanish  1 1 

TILBURY.  Well,  she  was  only  —  Spanish  at  the 
Gaiety,  don't  you  know. 

Vi.   No,  I  don't  know!    Has  she  written  you? 

TILBURY.  No! 

Vi.  Look  me  square  in  the  face. 


188     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.   [He    does    so,    and    -weakens.]    She 
cabled. 

Vi.   Show  it  to  me. 

TILBURY.  It's  torn  up ! 

Vi.  What  did  it  say? 

TILBURY.   [Rebelling.]  No!    Really!  — 

[Interrupted. 

Vi.   What  did  it  say?   [Rising.]   Or  I  go  back  to 
the  ballroom  —  and  to  Butte  City  alone! 

TILBURY.  It  said,  "Come  back  by  next  boat 
like  a  dear  old  guy." 

Vi.   [Sitting.]  And  did  you? 

TILBURY.   Of  course  not,  —  ain't  I  here  ? 

Vi.   Why  didn't  you  ? 

TILBURY.   Because  of  you. 

Vi.  Were  you  engaged  to  her? 

TILBURY.   Oh,   no !  —  I   wouldn't   call   it    en- 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     189 

[A  third  couple  come  to  see  if  the  bench  is  empty 
and  go  away  angry. 

Vi.  How  long  did  it  take  you  to  forget  Miss 
Rosy  Carmencita  Boggs? 

TILBURY.   Ever  since  I've  known  you. 

Vi.  H'm!  Two  weeks!  Listen.  I  think  we 
won't  wait  till  we  get  to  Butte  City. 

TILBURY.   [Delighted.]  What?!! 

Vi.  No,  I  think  it's  best  that  we  should  be 
engaged  AT  once  I  Oh  !  look  out  for  the  band. 

[He  wants  to  kiss  her,  but  dares  not.  The  band 
begins  again. 

TILBURY.  I  say,  it  is  rather  a  beastly  nuisance, 
isn't  it,  proposing  to  a  girl  straight  in  front  of  a 
whole  Hungarian  band ! 

Vi.  You'll  be  pleased  to  understand  that  we 
are  engaged  all  the  same,  with  or  without  the 
band! 


igo     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.  Rather!! 

Vi.  And  now  we're  off  our  minds,  I  want  to  talk 
to  you  about  Geraldine  Lang. 

TILBURY.   She's  a  jolly  girl ! 

Vi.  You'd  better  think  so  — it  was  she  introduced 
us !  Well,  she  broke  right  down  with  me  the  other 
day  and  told  me  her  story.  She's  in  love  with  that 
Hungarian  who  was  on  the  boat,  Mr.  Carlman. 

TILBURY.   Yes,  a  jolly  nice  chap! 

Vi.  Well,  none  of  her  friends  think  so,  and  have 
kept  them  apart ;  and  now  she  has  no  idea  where 
he  is,  and  is  afraid  he  may  be  awfully  hard  up. 
She  knows  he's  practically  not  got  a  cent,  and  his 
business  plans  have  been  entirely  upset  by  her 
friends !  Somehow  or  other,  you  and  I've  got  to 
find  him. 

TILBURY.  And  then  what  will  we  do  with 
him? 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     191 

Vi.    Oh,  if  we  find  him,  she's  got  to  do  the  rest ! 

[MRS.  MATHEWSON  comes  again  with  the  same 
young  man  to  see  if  the  bench  is  free. 

MRS.  MATHEWSON.  [In  disgust.]  Well!  they'll 
grow  to  that  bench ! 

[They  go  back  to  the  ballroom,  laughing;  Vi  and 
TILBURY  turn  and  see  them. 

Vi.   It  doesn't  seem  very  private  here,  does  it  ? 

TILBURY.   Rather  not. 

Vi.  I  think  I'll  go  tell  mamma!  It's  all  very 
well  for  me  to  stick  up  my  nose  at  your  title,  but 
mamma  !  Oh,  my !  Butte  City  won't  hold  her  when 
I  tell  her  I've  decided  to  marry  you,  not  for  a 
minute!  and  I  bet  you  she  buys  a  tiara  before  she 
leaves  here! 

[Both  laugh  and  move  on  to  where  they  can  see 
the  Hungarian  band. 

Vi.   [Speaking   of  the  band.]    Aren't    they  all 


192     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

handsome !  But  the  ship's  doctor  has  discounted 
uniforms  and  gold  braid  for  me  I 

TILBURY.  [Who  recognizes  KINSEY.]  By 
George ! 

Vi.  What? 

TILBURY.  Turn  around  quick !  [They  face  the 
other  way.]  I've  just  seen  the  man. 

Vi.   What  man !    I've  seen  twenty  dreams ! 

TILBURY.   Herr  Carlman! 

Vi.   Here! 

TILBURY.   In  the  band ! 

Vi.    Goodness !     Did  he  see  you  ? 

TILBURY.  I  don't  think  so,  but  I'm  going  to 
speak  to  him. 

Vi.  Oh,  do!  [The  band  stops  playing.]  And 
be  awfully  nice  to  him.  Wouldn't  it  be  fun  if 
we  could  make  them  as  happy  as  we  are !  Find 
out  what  the  trouble  all  is,  —  and  I'll  go  tell 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     193 

mamma  about  us!  She'll  be  tickled  to  death  !  I'll 
bet  she  hasn't  missed  a  single  dance  —  she's  a 
wonder!! 

[She  goes  to  the  ballroom. 

[The  other  musicians  are  talking  among  them- 
selves. KINSEY  remains  a  little  separate,  by 
himself.  TILBURY  comes  near  to  him. 
TILBURY.  Pardon  me,  Mr.  Carlman  !  [KINSEY 
starts  and  looks  to  see  who  is  speaking.  He 
sees  TILBURY  and  is  not  pleased.  He  bows 
somewhat  stiffly.}  I  must  speak  with  you  a 
moment ;  may  I  ? 

KINSEY.   There  vill  be  one  minute  or  two  be- 
tween ze  next  number. 

TILBURY.   I  say,  can  these  Johnnies  understand 
English  ? 

KINSEY.   No,  not  a  one,  not  a  vord ! 
TILBURY.    [Very  embarrassed.]  I  don't  know  how 


194     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

to  say  it,  old  man,  but  you  mustn't  take  offence, 
old  chap,  because  I  mean  it  in  the  friendliest  way, 
old  fellow,  in  a  brotherly  way,  I  do  really !  We're 
both  of  us  foreigners  over  here,  you  know,  old 
chap ! 

KINSEY.  Yess? 

TILBURY.  I  am  going  to  marry  a  great  friend  of 
Miss  Lang's,  —  Miss  Tompson. 

KINSEY.   I  make  you  my  congratulations,  sir. 

TILBURY.  No,  wait,  old  fellow.  She  has  told 
me  how  unhappy  Miss  Lang  is  to  be  separated 
from  you  by  her  friends  and  not  to  know  where 
you  are. 

KINSEY.   It  vill  end,  I  hope,  on  to-morrow. 

TILBURY.   Really,  I  say,  old  chap,  I  am  glad ! 

[He  involuntarily  holds  out  his  hand,  and  the 
two  men  shake  hands  -warmly. 

KINSEY.   [Moved.]  I  tank  you. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     195 

TILBURY.  Now  it  was  Miss  Lang,  you  see,  who 
introduced  me  to  Vi,  and  we  want  to  help  you  and 
her  along ! 

KINSEY.   I  tank  you. 

TILBURY.  No,  don't ;  tell  me  something  I  can 
do!  —  Why  are  you  here,  anyway,  old  man,  doing 
this  sort  of  game  ?  If  you  need  money  — 

[Embarrassed. 

KINSEY.  I  hope  not  to  need  after  to-morrow. 
But  I  am  zis  doing  now  because  ten  days  ago  I 
hafe  not  one  penny  and  I  hafe  hunger.  I  hafe  to 
do  someting  quick,  immediate !  —  I  always  hafe 
play,  I  go  to  mine  own  music,  and  they  gife  me  a 
place.  —  Vhen  I  hafe  heard  zey  come  here,  I  tink 
no  I  cannot,  and  zen  —  [Smiling.]  —  I  could  not 
—  I  tink  ze  word  —  resist,  because  I  say,  no  one 
vill  recognize  me,  and  I  vill  see  HER.  But  no,  she 
hafe  not  been  in  ze  room. 


196       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD1NE 

TILBURY.  Delighted,  old  chap  !  But  now  what's 
this  about  to-morrow  ?  You  know  you  must  let  me 
help  you.  Suppose  your  scheme  falls  down,  old 
boy,  you  can't  stay  on  doing  this  fiddle  business ! 

KINSEY.  It  vill  not  fall  down.  I  hafe  a  com- 
pany form  to  export  Hungarian  vines,  and  zey 
did  doubt  mine  —  ze  word  ? 

TILBURY.  Credentials? 

KINSEY.  Yess!  Zey  did  doubt  me!  But  first 
zey  have  said  ze  plan  vas  good,  great !  —  much 
money!  To-day  ze  mail  from  Europe  iss  in,  and 
I  hafe  by  me  now  [Touching  his  breast  pocket.] 
all  ze  papers  to  prove  all  vhat  I  say  iss  true, 
and  to-morrow  ze  company  vill  come  back  —  all 
except  one ;  I  will  get  anozer  in  his  place,  because 
he  hafe  done  to  me  too  much  harm!  [An  idea 
comes  suddenly  to  him.]  Oh !  Mr.  Tompson,  ze 
fader  of  ze  young  lady  you  marry, — very  rich,  not? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE       197 

TILBURY.  [Resenting.]  Yes,  but  I've  plenty  of 
money;  that  makes  no  difference  to  me. 

KINSEY.  Ah !  You  are  angry  quick  at  which 
I  did  not  mean,  how  I  vas  right !  /  had  missing; 
I  could  not  ask  Miss  Lang  to  be  my  vife;  all  ze 
world  would  hafe  said  he  marry  her  for  ze  money ! 
but  ven  I  hafe  half  ze  shares  of  mine  company  — 
and  Mr.  Tompson  when  he  would  come  he  vill 
make  ze  number. 

TILBURY.   Oh,  I'm  sure  Vi  can  make  him ! 

[The  leader  taps  and  the  orchestra  begins. 

KINSEY.  Pardons! 

[Goes  back  to  his  place. 
[Vi  reenters. 

Vi.  My  dear !  —  I  mean  Lord  Tilbury !  —  have 
you  the  slightest  idea  what  time  it  is? 

TILBURY.  No. 

Vi.   Of  course  not ;  well,  it's  nearly  four  o'clock ! 


198       THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

TILBURY.   Really ! 

Vi.  And  how  long  do  you  suppose  we've  been 
sitting  there? 

TILBURY.   I  dunno ! 

Vi.    Of    course    you   wouldn't  1     Three   hours ! 

TILBURY.   Oh !    I  say ! ! 

[Laughing. 

Vi.  Isn't  it  awful,  perfectly  awful  1 1  Come  on, 
we're  going!  We've  waked  up  popper;  he's  been 
asleep  for  hours  in  the  smoking  room,  and  mamma's 
so  tired  she  shows  her  age ! 

[MR.  and  MRS.  WRIGHTON  enter. 
We  were  just  looking  for  you  to  say  good 
night. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Must  you  go? 

Vi.  We've  had  a  perfectly  lovely  time,  simply  — 
well,  the  nicest  time  I've  ever  had  in  my  life. 

[Shaking  hands. 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE       199 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   I'm  delighted. 

[Vi  shakes  hands  with  MR.  WRIGHTON. 

TILBURY.  It  really  has  been  a  rippin'  little 
time! 

[He  shakes  hands  with  MRS.  WRIGHTON  and 
then  with  MR.  WRIGHTON. 

WRIGHTON.  We're  very  glad  you  could  come, 
Lord  Tilbury. 

Vi.  [To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  I  can't  keep  itl 
He's  going  to  be  Mr.  Tompson. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  What? 

Vi.   We're  going  to  be  married ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Oh,  really !  — 

TILBURY.  It's  rather  sudden.  But  you  see 
you  had  so  many  pretty  girls  at  your  party,  Miss 
Tompson  got  fidgy  and  thought  she'd  better  nail 
me  instanter. 

Vi.    Oh,  my !  what  a  whopper ! !    But  we  must 


200     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

hurry  or  mamma'll  get  another  crowsfoot,   and 
popper'll  go  sleep-walking !     Good  night. 
TILBURY.  Lady  Tilbury. 
Vi.   Don't  that  sound  perfectly  lovely? 

[She  goes  to  him,  and  takes  his  right  arm. 
MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Good  night,  Lady  Tilbury. 
[TILBURY  and  Vi  start. 
Vi.  Don't  we  go  well  together? 
TILBURY.   Rippin'.     Good  night. 

[All  say,  "Good  night." 
[Vi  and  TILBURY  go  out. 

WRIGHTON.    [Smiling.]   Well!     They    haven't 
lost  their  time ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   I'm  envious  for  Geraldine; 
I  wish  I  could  see  her  face  as  happy  —  with  her 
hand  on  the  arm  of  the  man  she  loved. 
WRIGHTON.   Has  she  enjoyed  the  party? 
MRS.  WRIGHTON.   She's  tried  to,  but  you  could 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    201 

SEE  her  trying,  and  I  think  she's  relieved  now 
that  everybody's  going.  I'm  so  tired  I  don't  think 
I'll  give  another  ball  as  long  as  I  live. 

WRIGHTON.  I  know  why.  She  knows  the 
answers  to  my  letters  to  London  and  Budapesth 
have  arrived. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   But  — 

WRIGHTON.  She  watched  the  paper  to  see  when 
the  mails  were  in.  She  cornered  me  when  I  came 
home  this  afternoon  and  asked  me  point  blank. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   And  what  did  you  say? 

WRIGHTON.  I  lied ;  but  if  I'd  told  her  then,  she 
wouldn't  have  appeared,  I  know,  to-night. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh,  Dick!  it's  true  then — the 
letters  confirm? 

WRIGHTON.   Our  worst  fears ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  It  will  break  her  heart! 

WRIGHTON.   She  refused  to  wait  till  to-morrow 


202     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALD INE 

morning,  and  so  we  compromised  on  to-night, 
when  the  last  guests  were  gone.  I  told  her  to 
bring  Fraulein  —  here  they  are  now. 

[GERALDINE  enters  with  FRAULEIN.     GERAL- 
DINE  is  excited  and  forcedly  happy. 

GERALDINE.  There's  no  one  left  downstairs,  and 
I've  done  my  best  —  I  can't  wait  any  longer.  You 
will  open  your  letters  now,  won't  you? 

WRIGHTON.   Yes,  dear. 

GERALDINE.  Hum!  That  l'dear"  has  a  hint 
of  pity  in  it  and  shows  what  you  expect  to  find,  but 
you'll  not!  You'll  see!  It  has  been  a  beautiful 
party.  {To  MRS.  WRIGHTON.]  Every  one  said  so, 
and  looked  it,  which  is  morel 

WRIGHTON.  [Takes  out  two  long  envelopes.] 
Here  are  the  letters. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Those  men  won't  hear? 

[Indicating  band. 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    203 

WRIGHTON.  None  of  them  understand  English, 
and  besides,  they  will  be  gone  soon. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Then  let's  sit  down. 

GERALDINE.  You  sit,  and  Fraulein.  I  couldn't ! 
I  feel  on  tiptoe !  I  must  stand  to  meet  my  happi- 
ness, which  is  coming  out  of  those  envelopes. 
*  Those,  dear.  [Her  whole  manner  and  expression 
change.]  Those  are  the  ones? 

WRIGHTON.  Yes. 

GERALDINE.  And  they  have  been  opened ! 
The  first  falsehood! 

[And  she  assumes  an  attitude  and  expression  of 
defiance. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Geraldine,  it  was  for  your 
sake,  to  spare  you  through  the  evening.  Don't 
be  on  the  defensive  with  us  who  love  you ;  we  are 
all  striving  for  the  same  goal,  —  your  happiness ! 

GERALDINE.   [Taking  off  her  long,  white  gloves 


204     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

nervously. .]  Read  the  letters!  Read  them!  Of 
course  I  know  now  they  are  against  Mr.  Carlman. 

WRIGHTON.  The  first  letter  is  from  our  present 
ambassador  in  London,  who  happens  to  be  an  old 
friend  0}  mine.  [Reads.]  "  My  secretary  cabled 
you  in  brief.  Count  Kinsey  was  in  the  Austro- 
Hungarian  embassy  in  London  six  years  ago.  He 
was  obliged  to  resign  his  position,  owing  to  a  most 
painful  scandal,  affecting  the  honour  of  one  of 
our  countrywomen,  the  beautiful  Miss  Larimer, 
[GERALDINE  interrupts  with  "Impossible!"  but 
WRIGHTON  continues.]  —  who  died  a  jew  months 
after  the  exposure.  In  America  he  would  have 
been  lynched !"  [Offering  her  the  letters.]  Now 
you  see  that  I  was  right  when  I  called  the  man  in 
your  presence  a  liar/ 

GERALDINE.  No! 

WRIGHTON.  What? 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     205 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Oh ! 

[Together. 

GERALDINE.  The  proof  that  "Count  Kinsey"  is 
a  scoundrel  is  overwhelming,  yes!  BUT  there  is 
absolutely  not  one  word  in  all  you've  read  to  prove 
that  Mr.  Carlman  and  Count  Kinsey  are  the  same ! 
In  fact,  in  that  letter  /  only  hear  proof  that  they  are 
not  the  same! 

[He  waits.     There  is  no  answer  from  GERAL- 
DINE, who  stands  thinking. 

WRIGHTON.  You'll  not  doubt  Fraulein  Handt's 
truthfulness  ? 

[He  waits;  there  is  no  answer;  he  looks  at  MRS. 
WRIGHTON. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  Geraldine !  [Touching  her.] 
What  is  it?  Do  you  hear  us? 

GERALDINE.  Excuse  me,  yes;  what  were  you 
saying  ? 


206     THE  STUBBORNNESS    OF  GERALDINE 

WRIGHTON.  Fraulein  Handt  is  here  to  prove 
to  you  that  Count  Kinsey  and  Herr  Carlman  ARE 
the  same. 

GERALDINE.  [With  feeling  and  much  pathos, 
appealingly.]  No,  no,  Fraulein,  y©u  know  you 
can't !  I  love  him,  Fraulein ! 

FRAULEIN.  [Almost  in  tears.]  Ach!  it  iss  the 
most  sad  day  of  my  life.  But  it  iss  true  vhen  I 
saw  Mr.  Carlman  on  the  boat  I  recognize  him  at 
once!  and  call  him  Count  Kinsey.  He  asked  of 
me  how  I  know  him,  and  I  have  made  the  explana- 
tion. I  was  governess  mit  his  ungle  vhat  vas 
ambassador  in  London. 

GERALDINE.  But  he  —  was  he  secretary 
there? 

FRAULEIN.  Yes,  he  vas. 

GERALDINE.  [Distressed,  overexcited.]  You're 
sure  ?  You  know  you  might  be  mistaken,  Fraulein 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE    207 

—  it  might  be  a  resemblance.     Don't  you  think 
it  was  —  something  like  that  ? 

FRAULEIN.  He  said,  yes,  he  vas  der  secretary, 
vhen  I  ask  him  on  de  boat. 

WRIGHTON.  Sh!  [To  FRAULEIN.]  Thank  you, 
Fraulein. 

FRAULEIN.  [To  GERALDINE.]  You  will  Jorgif 
me?  You  are  sure  I  would  gif  the  world  for  not 
to  hurt  you. 

GERALDINE.  Yes,  Fraulein  dear,  I  know;  it's 
all  right  —  good  night. 

FRAULEIN.   Good  night. 

[She  goes  out. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Dearest,  dearest  Geraldine. 

[Goes  to  her. 

GERALDINE.  You  don't  understand  me,  either 
of  you.  —  I  appreciate  your  motives  abso- 
lutely. I  am  grateful  for  the  reasons  that  inspire 


208     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

them;  but  you  do  not  prove  to  me  that  the 
man  I  love  is  unworthy.  I  believe  in  him  still ; 
perhaps  it  is  because  I  love  him,  I  don't  know. 
What  I  do  know  is  his  lips  spoke  truthfully 
to  my  ears,  though  you  may  think  his  kisses 
have  coloured  his  words  for  me.  When  I  looked 
into  his  eyes,  they  looked  straight  back  into  mine, 
and  if  I  saw  love  in  them,  I  saw  truth  too  — 
and  they  never  flinched,  and  when  I  gave  him 
my  hand,  he  took  it  in  a  strong  grasp,  and  his 
hand  felt  honest.  Believe  me,  a  woman  has  an 
instinct  about  such  things!  I'd  trust  his  hand 
to  lead  me  anywhere. 

[The  band  begins  to  play. 

WRIGHTON.  [Strong.]  Then  I  must  tell  you 
the  worst  of  all.  Our  consul  in  Budapesth  has 
also  given  me  the  character  of  Count  Kinsey. 

GERALDINE.  Is  it  the  same  as  from  London? 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     209 

WRIGHTON.  My  dear  child,  in  his  own  home 
it  is  much,  much  worse !  [Slowly,  very  seriously, 
but  quietly.]  He  has  a  wife  and  child  in  Buda- 
pesth ! 

KINSEY.  [Interrupts  during  the  speech.]  No! 
Gott  my  witness !  that  iss  not  truth ! 

[A  II  turn,  astonished  to  see  him.  They  murmur  their 
surprise  as  he  begins  to  speak.  As  he  finishes. 

GERALDINE.   Herr  Carlman ! 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.   Count  Kinsey ! 

[All  together. 

WRIGHTON.  You  here !  How  dare  you  steal 
into  this  house!!  [GERALDINE  interrupts  with, 
"Mr.  Wrighton/"]  You  are  even  a  lower  scoun- 
drel than  I  thought. 

GERALDINE.  [Quickly,  and  interrupting.]  Don't! 
Don't ! 

[Going  to  him. 


2io     THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

KINSEY.  [At  the  same  time  as  GERALDINE'S 
"don't."]  I  am  NOT  one  scoundrel!  [Pushing  his 
way  past  the  musicians  and  down  between  GERAL- 
DINE and  WRIGHTON.]  I  am  not  one  scoundrel! 
And  the  man  lie  vhat  call  me  so !  Whoever  he 
iss,  he  LIE  ! ! 

WRIGHTON.  [Very  strong.]  I  have  proof  of 
what  I  say,  damning  proof !  from  your  own  home ! 

KINSEY.  Lies ! !  All  of  ett !  That  is  vhat  your 
proof  isse ! !  Lies ! ! 

GERALDINE.  I  knew  it !    I  knew  it ! ! 

KINSEY.  I  have  by  me  de  true  proof !  true  proof 
of  all  I  say ! 

[He  tears  open  his  jacket,  and  getting  at  papers 
from  inside  it,  he  offers  them  to  GERALDINE. 

GERALDINE.  [Smiling,  shakes  her  hand.  To 
WRIGHTON.]  I  don't  need  them. 

[Motions  with  her  hand  to  WRIGHTON.     KINSEY 


THE   STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     211 

gives  papers  to  WRIGHTON,  and  at  same  time 
MRS.  WRIGHTON  dismisses  musicians,  who  go 
out.    WRIGHTON    goes    to    lamp,   at    Right, 
to  examine  papers,  and  says,  "Janet."     His 
•wife   joins  him  as  she  leaves  the  musicians. 
Together  they  look  over  the  papers.     KINSEY 
and  GERALDINE  are  be fore  the  bench  Right. 
KINSEY.  How  can  I  tank  you?    No  man  in 
all  ze  world  deserve  such  faith  like  zat ! 
GERALDINE.   I  only  believed  in  you  — 
KINSEY.   It  iss  all  true  vhat  zey  'afe  said  — 

[Interrupted. 

GERALDINE.  [Interrupting  quickly,  looking 
straight  into  his  eyes.}  No !  I  won't  believe  even 
you  when  you  say  it. 

[The  band  outside  plays  Hungarian  song. 

KINSEY.  You  have  not  let  me  feenish,  —  it  is 

all  true  of  mine  broder!    He  iss  Count  Kinsey, 


212     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

I  am  Count  Carlos  Kinsey,  younger  as  him, — 
Adolph,  Count  Kinsey.  He  was  secretaire  in 
London,  and  vhen  he  vas  oblige  to  resign  for  a 
very  bad  reason,  I  hafe  take  his  place  for  a  leettle 
vhile.  He  did  came  over  here  ze  ozer  week  after 
a  American  girl,  but  not  a  one  like  you  —  and  — 
zat  is  all. 

GERALDINE.   That  is  ALL? 

KINSEY.  Oh,  no!  I  'afe  went  to  ze  consul 
to-day.  To-morrow  I  appear  wiz  my  true  name 
I  explain  everyting  to  everybody!  My  company 
will  be  form !  And  ZEN  !  —  [He  stops;  a  pause.] 
—  told  you  I  would  —  me  come  back  one  day. 

GERALDINE.  WHEN? 

KINSEY.  To-morrow! 

GERALDINE.  But  look !  [Pointing  up  where  the 
sun  is  beginning  to  come  through  the  glass  roof.] 
It  is  to-morrow ! ! ! 


THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE     213 

KINSEY.  Yess!   [Smiling  at  her.]  And  I  have 
so  very  much  to  do  zis  day.     I  tink  I  ought  to  make 
ze  hay,  —  how  you  say  it  ? 
GERALDINE.   While  ZE  sun  shines? 
KINSEY.  Yess. 

[WRIGHTON  and  MRS.  WRIGHTON  come  for- 
ward. 

WRIGHTON.   [To  KINSEY,  with  much  depth  of 
feeling.]  I  beg  your  pardon. 

[KINSEY  hesitates  one  moment,  and  then  holds 
out  his  hand.  WRIGHTON  takes  it,  and  MRS. 
WRIGHTON  quickly  places  her  hand  on  both 
of  theirs,  saying. 

MRS.  WRIGHTON.  And  I  too  beg !    Forgive  us 
both! 

KINSEY.  I  do ! 

MRS.    WRIGHTON.   [To    WRIGHTON,    with    a 
meaning   look.]   Come !   [To    GERALDINE,  as   she 


214     THE  STUBBORNNESS   OF  GERALDINE 

and  WRIGHTON  start  to  go  -very  quietly.]  We'll  get 
our  wraps. 

[They  go  out. 
[GERALDINE  and  KINSEY  are  standing  looking 

at  each  other  and  do  not  hear  her. 
KINSEY.   Geraldine,  vill  you  be  my  vife? 
GERALDINE.  I  will. 
[He  takes  her  close  in  his  arms  as 

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Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


JtC  4 


OECZ5 
DEC 


ACNOV04 
MAY  08 1997 


Form  L9-100m-9,'52(A3105)444 


JFitch  - 


1677 
S93 


The  stubbornness 
of  fteraldine. 


PS 

1677 

S93 


